for ensuring the best education for their child (by sending them to expensive ‘grammar schools’), others view it at odds with the notion of equality in education for all children.135 Such choices risk the increased polarisation between schools in wealthy and disadvantaged neighbourhoods ( read English medium schools in posh areas, government schools in towns and villages and madrasas in impoverished areas). In most cases, the parents’ choice depends on the quality of education, which in Bangladesh indicates that parents opting for English medium schools perceive British curriculum to be better than the National curriculum. The economic factor is also apparent: even in countries like England, economic solvency affects parents’ decision in choosing school.136 In this sense, the diverse streams in Bangladesh are a manifestation of the violation of the EFA standards since the ‘full free primary education’ is in most of the cases not free: parents often face problems in affording the transportation cost (or the practical cost if the child needs to walk couple miles to reach the school), buying stationary and uniforms whereas the madrassas more often than not provide the students with food, stationary and lodging. In terms of religious values and belief, the exercise of parents’ freedom in favour of religious institutes i.e. madrassas is going against the ‘best interest’ principle, because the curriculum is not sufficient to put the madrassa students at par with their Board or English medium counterparts, creating irrational segregation. It is pertinent to mention that Art. 13 allow this choice only if the school conform to "such minimum educational standards as may be laid down or approved by the State". 137 These minimum standards may relate to issues such as admission, curricula and the recognition of certificates. In their turn, these standards must be consistent with the educational objectives set out in article 13 (1). International Human Rights law specifies that while taking any decision as to actions that would affect a child; the ‘best interest’ principle must be followed. 138 as a party to the CRC, Bangladesh has a duty to ensure the development of a child to the maximum extent possible (Article 6) and that children shall have the right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them, their views being given due weight in accordance with the child’s age and level of maturity (Article 12). 135 ibid, 58 Ibid, 58 CESCR (n 4) Article 3 of the CRC puts down that ‘The best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in all actions affecting children’. 136 137 138 Page | 50