It is sad to see primary school students walking slowly overburdened with heavy loads of books in the bags or sacks. They look like porters doing manual work!

I was in school during the British period, and we never had to carry so many books, and the home works assigned were not too heavy; and we enjoyed extra curricular activities at school and after school hours. My son was a primary school student in Kuala Lumpur, studying in one of the best English-medium schools in Asia; he never had to carry so many books, and his homework load was normal.

Now, in many schools in Dhaka there are no annual sports and outings (educational trips). These modern children in an LDC are given too much homework, with hardly any free time which the children need for diversity. Why should our children miss the small pleasures of daily life?

I am saying this from personal observation of my little niece, reading in an Eng-med school in Mohamamdpur Dhaka in the primary classes (now in class VII). The parents' meetings and interactions with the teachers have little effect on the owners of these schools, who are keen to make money, through prescribing many books (getting commission?), and adding many additional items on the tuition and other fees from time to time. Many have no playground (and parking space).

Also it is questionable what percentage of teachers is officially qualified to teach children; and have been briefed on child psychology and teaching methods. There is scanty news about such teachers' training schools (severe shortage in each divisional HQs). What is the education ministry doing? No feedback reports are published.

What about the teaching standard in the private colleges and universities (generally speaking)? No maa-baap in the education sector! Similar situation prevails in most of the private colleges and universities. Why imitate the bad politicians? Politics has also become a source of profitable business. Why is the government so powerless and callous (or corrupt)? Why the filthy rich become MPs and third class lawmakers? Who are sabotaging the society?

The horrible political environment is ruining the moral fabric of the society in all the sectors. Our young generation has already been spoilt with politicization at the university level (including the teachers!). What is the purpose of education? Here opinion and facts are mixed up easily. There are times when we should not be ruled by the heart (emotion) - the head comes into play all the time. With this type of judgmental deficiencies, Bangladesh cannot survive in the future. It is not at all surprising that Emergency has been called in --- to stop coming into power by hook and by crook, and to misuse it completely against public interest!

Let us guard out future assets, and develop in the normal acceptable way. A time might come when the selfish politicians would be kicked out of public activities (happening in all the continents all the centuries as history reveals). There are signs for the arrogant and the politically blind!