Govt Eyes Demographic Dividend Through Education

Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Saturday said the government is taking comprehensive measures to ensure Bangladesh fully benefits from its demographic dividend by eliminating academic session delays, reforming the curriculum and enabling students to complete their education on time.

Speaking to reporters after attending a discussion marking Gono Bishwabidyalay Dibosh in Savar, the minister said the committee responsible for developing the national curriculum is working in a coordinated manner to introduce a modern, practical and time-appropriate education system.

He said a two-year academic programme should be completed within two years, while students should finish the 12-year school cycle up to the Higher Secondary level by the age of 18 after enrolling in school at six.

"There should be no session jam, and our children's valuable time must not be wasted. We are taking steps to ensure the nation can fully benefit from its demographic dividend," he said.

Referring to past practices, Milon said government officials had once travelled abroad for training on issues such as cooking khichuri or clearing water hyacinths, but those days were over.

He said the government's election manifesto places emphasis on culture, sports, family values and joyful learning as the key pillars of education, adding that Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has attached special importance to these priorities.

"The Prime Minister wants to build a generation that embraces education as an enjoyable experience," he said.

The minister said joyful learning is being incorporated into the Class IV curriculum, while sports, culture, family values, Islamic values and ethics will be introduced into the syllabus in phases.

He also said balanced and impartial history is being incorporated into textbooks, noting that this year's books have undergone substantial revisions.

"It is not possible to reform the curriculum overnight, as it is a time-consuming process. We are moving forward steadily to introduce a modern and time-appropriate education system," he said.

Highlighting the government's focus on improving teaching standards, Milon said new training programmes are being introduced to enhance teachers' professional skills.

Addressing disparities between government and private primary schools, he said the primary scholarship programme would reserve 20 percent of scholarships for students of private kindergartens and 80 percent for students of government primary schools, a policy he said had not been introduced by previous governments.

He reiterated that education is a fundamental right and said the government is working to ensure equal access to quality education for all.

The minister also announced that examinations in the flood-affected areas of Chattogram have been postponed and will be held once the situation returns to normal.

Earlier, a colourful rally was brought out to mark Gono Bishwabidyalay Dibosh with the participation of the university's teachers and students.

Among those present were Dhaka-19 lawmaker Dewan Mohammod Salahuddin, Dhaka-20 lawmaker Md Tamiz Uddin and Gono University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Md Abul Hossain.