errors in textbooks
Nahid talks tough against culprits
Education minister Nurul Islam Nahid said yesterday that stern action would be taken against those responsible for the mistakes found in the recently distributed textbooks among students from Class-I to Class-IX. He also said that the media should not publish any report on the textbooks that might discourage students from continuing with their education. Weve formed a committee to find out how this could happen and who are involved. Well take action against the responsible persons after we get the full report of the committee. Those who have committed such mistakes are not worthy of being pardoned, he added. The minister was addressing a press conference at his office in the Secretariat. The mistakes in the textbooks can be corrected. Teachers
and others would rectify them. But if we spread wrong information, it would harm students. We can be criticised or punished for our mistakes, but students should not be discouraged, he said.
Seeking cooperation of all, Nahid said: Mistakes can be made while printing books. Its not unnatural, but its not desirable. Well correct the mistakes.
About two officials of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) being made officers on special duty (OSDs), the minister said they have been made OSDs for two major blunders.
According to the preliminary report of the NCTB probe committee, one of the two mistakes is the wrong use of a word in a moral advice in the Hindu Religion book for Class III. It has been wrongly printed do not heart anybody instead of do not hurt anybody.
In the other mistake, in a Class-III textbook the original word order in the rhyme, Adarsha Chhele by Kusumkumari Das, has been lost. The rhyme starts inaccurately with the line amader deshe shei chele kobe hobe instead of amader deshe hobe shei chhele kobe (When will the country have such a boy).
Nahid said the ministry has formed a committee to investigate the blunders and provide suggestions. It could be printing mistakes or serious blunders. Well take steps accordingly, he added.
Showing a newspaper picture where some goats are seen on a mango tree eating the fruit, Nahid said: This distorted picture has been published by the newspaper, and people might think its there in the book. But such a picture is not in the Class-I Bengali book. Wrong information should not be spread to confuse people. Asked about the use of orna (scarf) in the Class-I Bengali book, the minister said: There might be different opinions about contents. We make our books keeping in mind our nation, values and religious values. There might be some mistakes there. The committee will look into it.
Asked whether the government has accepted the demands of the Hefajat-e Islam, a Qaumi madrasa-based organisation, to exclude some of the poems of Hindu writers, Nahid said: There is no scope to give any priority to anybodys movement. A curriculum is made considering the opinion of all, including our Liberation War and its spirit, role of Bangabandhu, martyrs, democratic movement and social values.
The minister held the press conference after widespread criticism of the mistakes in textbooks.
The government yesterday suspended an artist-cum-designer of the NCTB for the mistakes in textbooks.
A press release of the education ministry said Sujaul Abedin was suspended on the basis of the preliminary report of the boards probe committee.
On Monday, the ministry made two other officials of the board officers-on-special duty (OSDs). They are the chief editor of the NCTB, Pritish Kumar Sarkar, and expert Lana Humayra.
The NCTB probe committee, headed by its member (finance) Prof Kazi Abul Kalam, would submit its findings on January 16.
The committee formed by the Secondary and Higher Secondary Division of the education ministry on Monday will submit its report within seven working days. This committee is headed by the additional secretary of the division, Ruhi Rahman.
