Bangla Academy Australia – an innovative educational and cultural institution in Sydney

Abdul Quader, Australia

Recently I had the opportunity to visit the Bangla Academy Australia located in the Epping suburb of Sydney. The Academy is committed, among other things, to promoting and teaching creative and performing arts for children to all age groups through its Bangla language and cultural school.

It is obvious that without some form of institutional arrangements children will find it difficult to learn Bangla language and culture to a practising level. While most parents want that their children to grow with the ability to learn, understand and speak Bangla to varying degrees, desired progress in this regard may not always be made possible without institutional support. The Bangla Academy Australia is established to cater to this need by helping children to develop and improve their potential in learning the Bangla language, culture and performing arts in a range of areas in a multicultural environment.

The curriculum of the academy is unique in that apart from language, it teaches music (classical, Rabindra, Nazrul), drawing, acting and dancing. In addition, on a needs basis, the Academy arranges teaching instrumental music such as tabla, violin, guitar, key-board etc. Classes of the school are held at a church centre in Epping on Saturdays from 9.30 in the morning.

The Academy organisers are conscious of other needs of the community members. Consistent with this understanding, they provide the services of a Justice of the Peace (who can witnesses signatures on important documents and certify copies of original documents) on certain dates and times at the school. This suggests the genuine interest of the Bangla Academy Australia in serving the broader community in earnest.

A distinctive feature of the curriculum of the school is the exposure of children to nature for learning. They learn the concept of colour and its variety from nature following the footsteps of the great Dutch impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh whose paintings reflect nature in its many colour and beauty. For example, they learn why the leaves of trees are green and the countless variety of green colour.

While I was visiting the Academy school, I saw children learning Bangla numbers through pictures of animals – for instance, elephants from smaller to bigger in shape on a sheet of paper. There are two aspects of this innovative exercise. First, the students learn to count numbers in Bangla and second, they fill out spaces within borders with colour pencils – an exercise for drawing, so to speak.

An encouraging aspect of the learning environment at the school is that children learn good manners and etiquette. For example, when they assemble for classes in the morning, they say "shuvo sakal" (good morning) to the teachers. They also learn when to say "dhanyabad (thank you). I was given an opportunity to say a few words to the students at the end of a class. When I finished, they spontaneously said "dhanyabad" – very impressive indeed. To learn and practise discipline is very much an important part of the school curriculum.

Although the Academy school is located in Sydney north, it draws students from many suburbs in Sydney, including from distant suburbs in Sydney south and west. This indicates the reputation and image of the academy already established and the quality of education it provides to the children in a stimulating environment. The school is not only about learning but is also about creative performance by its students. This  perhaps distinguishes the academy school from some other traditional language schools.

The Academy school students regularly participate at various cultural events in Sydney. A highlight of the Baishakhi Mela held in the Sydney Olympic Park in April this year was "Amraa Nuton" by the Bangla Academy Australia – an open competition where children took part in drawing pictures and reciting Bangla poems. They also participated in a cultural program at the Mela that was well appreciated by all present there. Children from Canberra also participated at both of these events at the Mela and were awarded prizes for their wonderful performance.

The Academy's work is not limited to running a Bangla Language and Cultural School. They are engaged in serious research on the works of Bangladeshi artists, poets, musicians etc. These include their recent publication titled "Duarey Aisachey Palki" in memory of the great Bangladeshi music composer, folk singer and lyricist Abdul Latif who died in February last year. The publication contains a range of good quality articles and a number of poems. The publication coincided with the academy's cultural program to honour the late Abdul Latif.

I consider it a credit for the Academy that they were able to collect so many write-ups from distinguished people from Bangladesh, Australia and elsewhere, including an article from Abdul Gaffar Chowdhury from London. Writers from Bangladesh for this special publication included Dr Anisuzzaman, Poet Asad Chowdhury and Nawazis Ali Khan. Abdullah Abu Sayeed, the president of Biswa Sahitya Kendra, Dhaka, also sent an encouraging note to the Bangla Academy Australia in this context.

The Bangla Academy Australia has a plan to continue to conduct extensive research and implement a variety of programs to further promote and establish Bangla language, literature and cultural heritage to the wider community in Australia.

The Academy has embarked upon establishing a web page for public information, which is under construction. If anybody likes to know more about this innovative Academy or likes to get involved with its various activities, they can visit the Academy website www.banglaacademy.com, or contact  tel: 61 02  8812 2684 (Sydney).