C T Online Desk: NCTB textbooks do not suggest humans evolved from monkeys or chimpanzees. Rather they affirm that the information is wrong.
Yet a false campaign is being waged to remove Darwin’s theory of evolution from textbooks.
In this situation, the Ministry of Education and the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) have called upon the media to play a responsible role.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni spoke in this regard at a press conference on the new curriculum at the International Mother Language Institute auditorium in the capital’s Segunbagicha on Tuesday.
She said: “The book says that the idea that humans evolved from monkeys is wrong. But the opposite is being reported. Everyone is requested to read the textbook.”
The minister asked journalists to act responsibly and not create false propaganda and rumours.
According to the NCTB, the textbooks are at educational institutions across the country and can be found on the board’s website as well, but the propaganda still exists. There are also allegations that this propaganda is being spread out by the media. A newspaper even predicted that Darwin’s theory was being removed from textbooks.
Page 21 of the newly released 2023 sixth-grade History and Social Science Inquiry textbook asks: “Where did man and society come from?”, and line eight of the chapter says: “Many say humans originated from monkeys. This is wrong.”
Again, page 24 of the book says: “Through evolution from primates, animals like chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans and gibbons gradually evolved through various changes. On the other hand, monkeys were created. And in another stream, people gradually evolved in various stages. You have to remember, humans did not originate from monkeys or chimpanzees.”
Besides, on page 113 of the story “Khushi Apa” in the history and social science practice book of class VI, “Nisarga” questions “Khushi Apa”. The portion is given — “Nisarga: ‘I heard that our first man was a monkey.’ Khushi Apa smiles and says: ‘Is that so? Many people think that monkeys are our ancestors. But the information is not correct. Monkeys are not our ancestors’.”
Although the subject of evolution is written in textbooks to be simple and clear, the spread of misinformation continues on social media by referring to “humans from apes”. A member of parliament criticized this and demanded the removal of such textbooks. After that, the NCTB called upon the media to carry out their responsibilities consciously while publishing such news.
The NCTB said that there is false propaganda that humans are descended from monkeys – not only on social media but also in newspapers. One newspaper said: “Since the free textbooks were handed to students, the controversy and criticism has been going on. The ‘misinformation’ and ‘inconsistencies’ in these books are more than at any time in the past. At the top of the debate is the issue of Darwin’s theory, which is included in the sixth-graders’ textbook, where it is said ‘man is created from ape’.”
In response to a question, Minister of Education Dr Dipu Moni said: “Some people are throwing stones in the dark, maybe they have not read the book and seen what is in there. Our task now is to correct where there are mistakes and impart the correct information to students.”
When contacted, NCTB Member (Education) Prof Mashiuzzaman said: “It has not been said that humans are created from monkeys or chimpanzees. Rather it is said that this is wrong. Spreading such false information in newspapers can lead people to engage in spreading rumours. For that, everyone needs to be aware.”
