Govt wants to establish int'l standard education system

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said her government wants to form an international standard education system in Bangladesh following the curriculum of world-renowned educational institutions.

"We will give money to whatever needs in education. There are renowned international universities - We have to see how they teach. What curriculum and which method do they follow? We want to establish an international standard education system in Bangladesh," she said.

The premier made the remarks while opening a free textbook distribution programme at an event at her office by handing over books to students of pre-primary, primary and secondary levels on Sunday morning.

She also laid emphasis on practical learning-based education to create employment opportunities in the country.

Sheikh Hasina said she wants to develop a nation with modern technology-knowledge-based education as she desires that students get such education from an early age.

So, her government is giving importance to technical education and vocational training, she said.

"We want to build a nation with modern-technology-knowledge-based education. We've already done everything for that," she added.

Mentioning that the present era is the age of modern technology and knowledge, Sheikh Hasina said, "We will never be left behind. We have to keep pace with other countries. so we want our boys and girls to learn technology from an early age."

She added: "We want our country to keep pace with the world. That is why we have to change our education curriculum."

Referring to a quote from Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the prime minister said Bangabandhu didn't consider the cost of education as an expenditure rather he used to think of it as a kind of investment.

Calling on the students to pursue study attentively, she said life becomes a failure without education as there may be wealth in many things but education is one thing that no one can take away.

"We want to build the nation with versatile education. To build a smart Bangladesh, we need a smart skilled population the most," she continued.

Highlighting the importance of education to get rid of poverty, the head of government said they want to make Bangladesh a poverty-free country.

"Only education can make a country free from poverty. That is why we have given the most importance to education," she said.

At the textbook distribution ceremony on the eve of 2024, Sheikh Hasina wished all a Happy New Year 2024.

With Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni in the chair, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury delivered the welcome address.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossen also spoke at the function.

The ministries have taken necessary steps to distribute nearly 30,70,83,517 copies of new textbooks among 3,81,28,324 students this year, involving over Tk 1400 crore.

The textbooks have already been sent to every upazila in the country.

The government has so far distributed over 4,64,78,29,883 copies of free textbooks among students up to secondary levels across the country since 2010.

Since 2017, the government has been distributing braille books among visually-impaired students alongside handing over books in Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Garo and Sadri languages to the children of minority ethnic groups to facilitate them to study in their mother tongue.

/KN/