Bangladesh PM against admission tests for toddlers

Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has condemned admission tests conducted for toddlers to get into schools, the media reported.

"Why toddlers should be subjected to formal admission tests?" she asked.

Addressing an International Literacy Day event at the Osmani Auditorium in Dhaka, Hasina pitched strongly for open door admission to children old enough to join school, bdnews24 reported.

"If they have to join school by writing admission tests from printed question papers, what is left for them to be taught," she said.

She also insisted on improving the quality of education in government primary schools in urban areas, so that parents would send their children to those schools.

"I request you to improve and repair the shabby schools...children will get their first education from schools in their own neighbourhood," Hasina told the primary and mass education minister and secretary, who were among the audience she was addressing.

The prime minister stressed on measures to make school fun for the children, rather than 'discouraging' them.

"Curriculums which might frighten children should not be adopted. Loads of books and homework scare toddlers."

Unesco has been observing the International Literacy Day on September 8 every year since 1997. This year's theme for the Day is "Literacy and Sustainable Societies".