Education, ICT get highest allocation

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith on Thursday proposed an allocation of Tk 49,010 crore for the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education in the budget for 2016-17 fiscal.

On the other hand, Muhith has proposed an allocation of Tk 1,835 crore for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Division.

Total 15.7 percent allocation of the Tk 340,605 crore proposed budget has been given to these two - education and ICT – sectors for this fiscal. 

Placing the budget in the Parliament, Muhith said, "We have attached top priority to education and human resource development. Considering the expenditure in education sector as long term investment, we have taken various programmes to develop this sector."

"I have already mentioned our steps on formulation of curriculum, printing of books and recruitment of about 35,000 teachers including introduction of pre primary education in all primary schools. We have a plan to recruit another 3,000 teachers and provide them with training," he said.

"We have been working towards implementing the plan for extending primary education up to class VIII by 2018. Grades VI and VII have already been opened in 760 primary schools," the finance minister added.

"In order to ensure quality primary education, we will also continue our existing programmes including distribution of books and learning materials, appointment of teachers and their training, and construction and reconstruction of primary schools and training institutes," he added.

In order to raise the rates of enrollment and retention of students, 'National School Feeding Policy' is being formulated with a view to widening the coverage of school feeding programme and engaging private sector in this initiative, he added.

About ICT, Muhith said, "We have made significant progress in developing and expanding information-technology infrastructure and improving the quality of internet services."

The number of mobile and internet subscribers has increased respectively to approximately 13.20 crore and 6.20 crore by the end of April 2016, he added.

"International internet bandwidth has also been raised to 180 gbs. On the other hand, up to now 5,275 digital centres have been established all over the country," the finance minister added.

More than 25,000 web sites including those of upazilas, districts, divisions, departments and directorates have been added to national web portal, he added.

"We have initiated the registration of SIM/RIM to ensure cyber security and prevent the use of information technology in cyber crimes," he added.

With inputs from BSS