Education
Inadequate education budget hinders growth, students say; demand increase
As the financial year 2023-24 approaches, concerns are arising over the budget allocation for the education sector.
The budget allocation was a subject of discussion among students from Dhaka University, technical institutes, and madrasas.
Iman Islam, a third-year student majoring in accounting at Dhaka University, expressed his thoughts: “Although the budget allocation for the education sector has increased compared to last year's figures, in the proposed budget, it stands at 1.76 percent of the GDP. While the monetary value has risen compared to last year, it has not increased in real terms. The education sector must receive a larger share of the GDP to effectively address the current challenges.”
Abu Bakr Siddiq Riyad, a third-year student of DU’s Mass Communication and Journalism department, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the education sector.
He remarked, “To keep pace with the rapidly evolving world, the education sector needs better organization and increased attention. Budget allocation should be augmented accordingly.”
Siddik Faruk, another third-year student from Dhaka University, highlighted the disparity between the ideal and actual budget allocation for education.
“Ideally, 20 percent of the total budget should be allocated to the education sector. However, our country currently only allocates around 10 percent. This must be increased gradually to meet the needs of our economy and ensure progress in the knowledge-based economy of the future,” he said.
As the country strives for a knowledge-based economy, it becomes imperative to prioritize and adequately fund the education sector. The allocation for research in universities should also be increased to promote innovation and advance the nation's progress, he added.
The insufficient budget allocation not only affects general education but also hinders technical education.
Kazi Shahadat Hossain Shakib, who recently completed his diploma from Chittagong Polytechnical Institute, emphasized the significance of technical education in a rapidly advancing world.
He said, “Technical education is crucial for keeping up with the times and contributing to the development of a digital Bangladesh. Increased budget allocation and incentives are necessary to make technical education more practical and to update outdated equipment.”
The students' collective sentiment underscores the urgent need for a higher allocation in the education sector, considering the rising inflation and the challenges students face in meeting their daily needs.
BRAC University ranks 5th for SDG 1 in Times HE Impact Ranking 2023
BRAC University (BRACU) has achieved the 5th position in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2023.
The university has achieved the milestone in the United Nations (UN) ‘Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No poverty, according to a press release.
BRACU was placed at the top among all Bangladeshi universities and 301- 400 globally in the overall impact ranking. The 2023 Impact Rankings include 1,591 universities from 112 countries and regions, it added.
THE University Impact Ranking 2023 was released on Thursday which assesses universities around the world based on their performance in meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Brac University excelled in the “SDG-1: No Poverty” category, securing the fifth position globally with a very high score of 86.5. This achievement reflects the university's dedication to alleviating poverty through its innovative teaching, research, and community engagement programs.
Brac University also performed strongly in other SDGs, including SDG-4: Quality Education, SDG-8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG-16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.
Brac University's Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, said, “These outstanding rankings reaffirm Brac University's strong commitment to creating positive social impact and contributing to sustainable global development.”
“The university remains dedicated to nurturing future leaders, conducting relevant and impactful research, and driving positive changes in society,” Prof. Aziz added.
8 injured in clash between two BCL factions in CU
At least eight people were injured in clashes between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Chittagong University in the last two days.
An assistant proctor of the university, police and six activists of Chhatra League were reportedly injured in the clashes which started on Wednesday morning over a trivial incident.
Budget 2023-24: Govt allocates Tk88,162 crore in education sector, up 8.2%
Finance Minister AHM Musatafa Kamal on Thursday (June 1, 2023) proposed an allocation of Tk 88,162 crore for the education sector in the national budget of Bangladesh for the fiscal year 2023-2024, up from Tk 81, 449 in the current fiscal.
It's an increase of 8.2% over the last budget.
In the proposed budget, Tk 34,722 crore was allocated against the Primary and Mass Education Ministry for 2023-24, which was Tk 31,761 crore in 2022-23, while Tk 42,838 crore against the Secondary and Higher education sector, which was Tk. 39,961 crore in 2022-23 and Tk 10,602 crore against the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, which was Tk. 9,727 crore in 2022-23.
While unveiling the national budget, the minister said “We are decentralising education planning and management and implementing a 'School Level Improvement Plan (SLIP)' to enhance efficiency in primary education management.”
Read more: Budget sets 7.5 percent annual economic growth, inflation at 6 percent
Under this plan, the delegation of financial power has been restructured at the field level. An integrated education Programme has been launched to ensure education in mainstream government primary schools for all children of the society including children with special needs.
Some 26,366 posts of teachers have been created in the pre-primary level of government primary school. Recruitment against a total of 32,577 posts including the newly created posts have been completed.
Apart from the recruitment of the required number of teachers, primary school teachers are being trained on 5 core and 3 non-core subjects to increase the quality of education, he said.
Besides, greater importance is being given to technology-based education to equip students for building a ‘Smart Bangladesh’, said the minister.
Read more: Tax-free income limit increases to Tk3.5 lakh
A total of 59,000 laptops, multimedia projectors and sound systems have been provided along with internet connectivity to more than 50,000 government primary schools to set up multimedia classrooms. Some 800 officers have been trained on ICT and more than 1 lakh teachers have been imparted hands-on training to create digital content.
These teachers are creating digital content and teaching in the classrooms. As a result, classroom study is becoming interesting and the children are becoming more attentive in class, Kamal said.
Meanwhile, special allocation is being given to schools for continuing teaching activities in schools in emergencies. The ongoing school feeding programme for more than 29 lakh students of 15,470 government primary schools in 104 upazilas of 35 districts of the country through the project titled 'School Feeding in Poverty-stricken Areas' has been completed recently.
“We are continuing our efforts to transform educational institutions into modern and model institutions. A total of 351 secondary schools and 371 private colleges have been nationalized since 2009 to April 2023. As many as 315 private secondary schools located in upazila headquarters without government schools have been converted into model schools,” he said.
Readmore: Finance Minister unveils Tk 761,785 crore national budget
The construction work of 180 buildings has been completed for the government post-graduate colleges located at the district headquarters. Out of the 1,610 colleges selected under the private colleges’ development project, the construction of ICT-friendly buildings has been completed in 1,473 colleges.
Under SESDP (Secondary Education Sector Development Plan), 33 model madrasas have been set up along with 62 new schools in underprivileged areas. At present, 176 academic buildings are being constructed to expand science education along with 33 hostels under the Expansion of Science Education in Government Colleges Project.
A total of 33,285 multimedia classrooms and 11,307 computer labs have been set up in selected educational institutions since 2009 to enhance students’ proficiency in information technology and to modernize teaching methods. In addition, 64,925 multimedia classrooms and 12,000 labs will be set up in future.
The digital content of 21 textbooks of primary level and the interactive digital text of 16 textbooks of class 6 have been completed and uploaded on the website. E-learning modules for 6 textbooks of class 7 and class 8 and e-learning material of 6 textbooks for class 9 and class 10 have been developed and uploaded. A total of 710 ICT learning centres have been set up in selected educational institutions.
Read more: Curbing inflation without destabilising macroeconomic situation presents challenge for budget: Selim Raihan
Audio-visual training content has been developed for teachers on classroom activities of all subjects of class 6 and 7 and training has been imparted to all teachers through open reading.
IU student's MBA, BBA certificates cancelled
The authorities of Islamic University in Kushtia cancelled the certificates of the bachelor of business administration and the master's of business administration of a student of the university as an allegation of passing master's despite failing honours was proved.
The decision was made at IU's 256th syndicate meeting with IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam in the chair, said a press release issued by IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan on Thursday.
Sources said, Shamirul Islam, a student of IU finance and banking department under 2013-14 academic session, has completed his graduation and post graduation from the department in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
He has collected his provisional certificates from the controller of examinations office where he was shown successful.
But when he went to collect his original documents from the controller of examinations office on January 17, 2023, he came to know that he failed in a course of BBA fourth year examination.
According to the university act, a student must pass in his/her honours examinations' if he/she wants to take part in MBA examinations.
Later, the university administration formed a three-member probe body led by IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Mahbubur Rahman to look into the matter.
The probe body submitted its investigation report to the university authorities.
Contacted, Shamirul said that he did not know that he had failed in a course. "I was not even informed about the failure. I took out my provisional certificates of graduation and post-graduation from the controller office where I had been shown success."
"My department and IU controller of examinations office could not deny their negligence," he added.
IU pro-vice-chancellor Professor M Mahbubur Rahman said that they cancelled the certificates of both BBA and MBA of Shamirul as an allegation brought against him was proved.
They, however, have decided to give him the opportunity to pass the honours' and masters' by re-examination on humanitarian grounds under special arrangements, he added.
We’ve incorporated interactive learning at primary, secondary levels to ensure quality education: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said that they have incorporated interactive learning at the primary and secondary levels, where children now receive quality education through cultural expressions such as performing plays, reciting poetry, experiential learning, and active learning, among others.
“Students will learn to work both individually and in groups. This will develop their soft skills, such as communication, leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving, and more, from a young age,” she said.
The Education Minister made the remarks at a programme titled “Let’s Talk: Education & Culture” held at Rabindra University on May 31.
Young Bangla of the Centre for Research and Information hosted the event that serves as a policy discussion and idea-sharing platform between young minds and policymakers in Bangladesh.
The 46th Let's Talk, organised by Young Bangla, focused on the topic of 'Education and Culture,' with the participation of over 350 students from the Sirajganj district.
The panelists for this interactive session included Dr. Dipu Moni; Anwarul Abedin Khan MP, Member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Agriculture; Professor Dr. Md. Shah Azam, Vice Chancellor of Rabindra University, Bangladesh; and A.T.D. Angel, General Secretary of Choupash Natyanchal and recipient of the Joy Bangla Youth Award 2017.
Read more: Strategy being formed to turn Bangladesh into developed one: Finance Minister
The youth from the Sirajganj district posed questions to the panelists on various topics, including the importance of cultural practices, the correlation between education and culture, the contemporary education system of Bangladesh, the gap between industry and academia, and the youth's contribution to culture, among others.
Regarding the increase in cultural practices among students, Dipu Moni MP emphasised the importance of cultural enhancement to acquire true knowledge, as culture and education are intertwined.
She shared that the education system of Bangladesh is adopting new practices to introduce students to cultural activities within the classroom through interactive learning at the primary and secondary levels.
Students expressed their concerns about the gap between industry and academia, and the Minister of Education responded by stating that despite the number of educated students, there is a shortage of available qualified jobs.
She suggested that only the youth can solve this problem by creating more job opportunities through entrepreneurship.
Additionally, she proposed the addition of mandatory courses in Language, ICT, Soft Skills, and Entrepreneurship to every department at the tertiary level. Furthermore, new course modules and teacher training programs are being developed.
Participants raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure for cultural practices and the establishment of new universities, according to a media release.
Dipu Moni commented, "It is crucial for every student to have a proper campus life during their educational journey. It not only provides them with an ideal environment to study but also offers them a space to explore life and engage in cultural activities. Some of the newly established universities are enrolling students before having a proper campus. We are looking into this matter and expect that they do not continue this practice."
GIS partners with UK’s largest music education body to cultivate musical excellence
Glenrich International School (GIS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM), the UK’s largest music education body.
This collaboration aims to unlock a world of possibilities for GIS students, nurturing their talents and passion for the performing arts, according to a press release.
ABRSM, recognized as the United Kingdom's largest music education body and one of the world's leading music exam providers, conducts over 650 thousand assessments annually in more than 90 countries.
The signing ceremony between GIS and ABRSM took place on Wednesday, at the GIS Campus.
Representatives from both institutions, including Shafaitul Islam, representative of ABRSM in Bangladesh, Ramesh Mudgal, principal of Glenrich International School, Kumkum Habiba Jahan, head of Junior School at Glenrich International School, and Jahangir Kabir, head of operations at STS Capital, were present at the occasion.
Through this collaboration with ABRSM, GIS students will be mentored by ABRSM coaches in the disciplines of Piano, Guitar, and Violin.
These instructors will inspire and guide GIS students towards achieving musical excellence, creating new heights of co curricular learning opportunities in Bangladesh, according to the press release.
At the core of this partnership lies the implementation of a world-class music curriculum, recommended by ABRSM, which will be taught in state-of-the-art music studios at Glenrich International School, reads the press release.
This curriculum, combined with the guidance of ABRSM's talented instructors, will empower students to “strive for excellence and unleash their full potential in the realm of harmonies.”
Upon successfully completing their courses, GIS students will have the opportunity to showcase their skills through ABRSM's internationally recognized assessment process, potentially earning prestigious certifications from the Board, the press release states.
"This partnership marks a significant milestone for GIS as we endeavor to provide holistic and comprehensive education to our students, extending beyond traditional means of learning," stated Mr. Ramesh Mudgal, principal of GIS. "We are honored to collaborate with ABRSM, a highly esteemed institution that shares our vision of cultivating a deep appreciation for music. Together, we hope to foster a vibrant and nurturing musical community within our institute."
"We are optimistic about this collaboration with Glenrich International School," said Shafaitul Islam, representative of ABRSM in Bangladesh. "By combining our expertise and resources with their determination to bring about a landmark transformation in the local education sector, we aim to create an enriching musical environment where students can flourish and realize their hidden potential. We firmly believe that every individual, regardless of their background, deserves access to top-quality music education."
Bangladesh Education Expo 2023 to offer students a one-stop information hub
Bangladesh Education Expo 2023, is set to take place for the first time at the International Bangabandhu Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital on June 5.
The fair, open to all, aims to provide students seeking higher education, both locally and abroad, with a comprehensive platform to gather all necessary information under one roof.
With the participation of universities from across the country and abroad, the expo promises a myriad of opportunities, including the chance to secure scholarships up to 100 percent. Additionally, over 60 universities, polytechnic institutes, and various educational institutions will showcase their research, publications, and innovations.
The day-long event will commence at 9 am and continue until 8 pm, featuring not only opening and closing ceremonies but also a series of seminars and panel discussions.
These sessions will include public lectures on subject selection for higher education, with the presence of esteemed education officials, renowned academicians, and notable celebrities. The Education Reporters Association (ERAB) is organizing this monumental education expo.
Mir Mohammad Jasim, President of ERAB, stated, "ERAB is an organization comprising education reporters, officially registered with the Government of Bangladesh last year. We are hosting this expo as part of our commitment to students.”
Registration for the expo has already started, and students can sign up by visiting the official website at www.bangladesheducationexpo.com. By registering, students will be automatically entered into a lottery with various attractive prizes at stake, such as laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.
However, the organisers said the expo itself is open to all, regardless of registration status.
Currently, approximately 60,000 students have completed their registration.
RU admission test fraud: 16 including BCL leader sued
The Rajshahi University authorities have filed multiple cases against 16 people including a Bangladesh Chhatra League leader on charge of fraud in Rajshahi University admission test 2022-23.
Registrar Professor Abdus Salam filed the cases on behalf of the university authorities with Motihar and Chandrima police stations in the city.
Additional Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Vijay Kumar Basak confirmed this on Wednesday morning.
Among them, Chhatra League leader, government BCS official, students of Rajshahi University and Dhaka University have been arrested.
The accused are Hasibul Islam Shanto, deputy secretary of RU Chhatra League and joint-general secretary of Natore District Chhatra League, Enamul Haque, student of Dhaka University’s Islamic Studies Department, Md. Swapan Hossain, a 2018-19 academic year student of Rajshahi University’s Department of Public Administration, Sheikh Abu Hanif, Assistant Social Service Officer of Gournadi Upazila in Barishal.
Tanveer Ahmed, Kawsar Ali Vidyut, Md. Mainul Islam, Md. Abdur Rakib, Md. Israfil Hossain, Zahid Al Hasan Siam, Rupam Sarkar and Sheikh Abu Hanif. The names of the remaining four have not yet been released.
Among them, Hasibul, Sheikh Abu Hanif, Enamul Haque and Swapan have been arrested.
According to the case statement, Md. Israfil Hossain appeared in the exam as a proxy candidate for Zahid Al Hasan Siam in exchange of Tk 70,000. He was arrested from room 424 of Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose Academic Building of the university. Hasibul Islam Shanto hired Enamul Haque for Tk 50,000. He gave proxy on behalf of main candidate Tanveer Ahmed.
Sheikh Abu Hanif was arrested Rabindranath Tagore Academic Building of the university. He appeared for the original candidate Rupam Sarkar.
Regarding the arrest of the BCL leader, Faisal Ahmed Runu, general secretary of the BCL RU unit said, "We came to know about the matter sometime ago. If he is involved in this incident, organizational action will be taken against him."
Professor Abdus Salam, registrar of the university said, "We have filed a case on behalf of the university administration. Now the matter will be investigated by law enforcement agencies and action will be taken."
Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Additional Commissioner of Police Vijay Kumar Basak said, "We have interrogated those who were detained yesterday. According to the information given by them, we have arrested one person. But he is not the original culprit. Hopefully we will be able to arrest him soon. At the same time, those involved in the fraud will also be arrested."
Girl who burned her certificates on Facebook gets job in ICT dept
A girl who burned all of her academic certificates on a Facebook Live in frustration at not getting a job on May 23, Mukta Sultana, has been offered a job by State Minister for Information and Communication Technology Zunaid Ahmed Palak.
Noticing the matter through Bianna Television, the minister contacted Mukta Sultana, 27, and requested her to come to his office.
After discussing with her, on Monday the state minister handed over an appointment letter to Mukta on behalf of the Prime Minister for the post of 'Content Development and Social Communication Officer' in the "Establishment of Secured Email for Government and Digital Literacy Center" project under the Information and Communication Technology Department.
Getting the appointment letter, Mukta said, "I got my job because of the sympathy of State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak. I am grateful to him.”
Palak said, “We are providing assistance in various ways including training from the ICT department so that the talented youth of the country do not get frustrated and can move forward with confidence. He said no educated youth will be unemployed in Bangladesh if proper education is taken.”
“If you can prepare yourself by harnessing the talent of youth and the power of technology, you will not have to go after the job. Rather, it will create employment opportunities,” the state minister said.
Ranjit Kumar, Executive Director of Bangladesh Computer Council and Engr. Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, Project Director of "Establishment of Secured Email for Government and Digital Literacy Center" project, were present on the occasion.