Govt plans to extend weekly holidays in academic institutions

A decision has not been taken to extend the weekend in educational institutions to resolve the ongoing crisis. However, education minister Dipu Moni said that the government is thinking about this.

She said this at a seminar organized on the occasion of the 17th National Conference and National Mourning Day of Bangladesh Polytechnic Teachers Association on Friday (August 12).

The minister answered various questions of the journalists in the seminar titled 'Shok Hok Shakti, Karigiri Shiksha i Mukti' organized at Bangabandhu Auditorium of Dhaka Polytechnic Institute.

The education minister informed about various new curriculum and projects of the government in technical education.

She said, ‘We are giving great importance to acquiring technical skills. We want to ensure that our students are competent. The Sheikh Hasina government has looked at the aspects that need to be looked into for the development of students as humane, creative people. ’

‘Before this we could not hire teachers for a long time. However, recently we have recruited 5000 technical teachers. The education minister also said that he hopes that there will be no problem related to recruitment soon,’ she added.

The minister said that MPO admission was closed for about 10 years in the middle. Past governments have incorporated MPOs through personal communication or other means. But, during the Sheikh Hasina government, this program is being conducted in a completely digital manner in a transparent manner.

She also said that the government is thinking about having at least one technical training center project in each upazila.

Earlier, 50 institutions were given Tk 70 crore for labs and ancillary works. Many organizations could not ensure proper use of that money. So, it will not only be allotted, students should use it to acquire skills.

The education minister said that there is a tendency of admitting additional students in educational institutions without considering the capacity. This trend exists in all educational institutions, at all levels. Dhaka city's newest institute has 66 students per class, they want to increase it to 75 students. She thinks that it should be reduced from 66.

She said, ‘The kind of development we want, the kind of development we are talking about, will not happen like this. We will try to improve the quality. To keep it right, the tendency to increase the numbers must be checked.’

The education minister also said that students should be prepared to produce skilled manpower suitable for the fourth industrial revolution. Technical education rates and enrollments are higher in countries that are more developed. But, on the contrary, technology is taught to less talented and less privileged students in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Technical Education Board course evaluation expert Dr. presented the main article in the seminar. Shah Alam Majumdar. Director General of Technical Education Department (Additional Secretary) spoke as a special guest. Md. Omar Farooq

President of Bangladesh Polytechnic Teachers Association (BAPSHIS) (Central Executive Council). Aman Ullah Khan Yusufji presided over the welcome speech, general secretary of Bapsis G. M. Aktar Hossain, Dhaka Polytechnic Institute Principal Engineer Kazi Zakir Hossain. Various members and teachers of Bapsis were present.