Education
Solve cluster admission crisis soon: UGC
Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) on Wednesday stressed the need for a quick solution to the ongoing crisis over the cluster-based admission tests of 22 general and science & technology (GST) public universities.
The call came from a daylong workshop held at the UGC office to face the challenges of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
The Innovation Wing of UGC arranged the workshop titled "Knowledge Dominates the Period of 4IR and IoT Business Applications," said a press release.
“An unexpected crisis regarding the cluster admission test has created. The authorities of the 22 universities will have to find an effective solution to this crisis,” said UGC member Prof Muhammad Alamgir while addressing the event as the chief guest.
Read: Pvt universities’ permanent campuses: UGC to go tough as deadline ends on Dec 31
He said the ongoing crisis can be solved if the admission process includes student-friendly aspects and the proper use of modern technology.
Dr Alamgir requested the committee concerned to take appropriate steps to complete the entire admission process smoothly soon so that the students do not suffer any untoward suffering.
He suggested the vice-chancellors of the universities for making efforts to ensure that a good system like such admission test won’t face question.
Talking about the 4th industrial revolution, the UGC member urged the university teachers to produce graduates suitable for the 4th industrial revolution as now it is the time for frontier technology.
He said the officers and employees of higher education institutes should be trained to be adapted to the technology. “In the 4IR era, skilled people will replace unskilled people and there will be a massive change in the type of jobs,” said Dr Alamgir.
Director of the IMCT Department of the Commission Mohammad Maksudur Rahman Bhuiyan presided over the workshop, while Dean of Science and Engineering School of Canadian University of Bangladesh Prof Syed Akhtar Hossain was the resource person in the event.
The admission seekers fell into a trouble as the authorities have stopped the migration process from the sixth merit list of the cluster-based test.
Read: UGC set to formulate policy for new public universities
Since the migration process continued till the fifth merit list, the students who got chances in more than one university now have fallen into troubles to migrate to upper tier universities even though the seats are vacant.
The High Court has recently issued a rule upon the authorities concerned to explain within 10 days as to why the decision of stopping migration process should not be declared illegal.
IU fails to finish construction works under mega project within deadline
Authorities of the Islamic University in Kushtia have failed to complete its construction works under a mega project within the stipulated time though the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the allocation of Tk 537 crore for the university four years ago.
Nine buildings, five residential halls, two official and staff residential quarters and an academic and administrative building are to be constructed under the project.
The project implementation committee had extended the time for completing the construction works twice.
The current term for the construction works under the mega project will expire on December 31, IU engineering office officials said on Tuesday.
Campus sources said that ECNEC had allocated Tk 537 crore for the infrastructural development of Islamic University in Kushtia in 2018 for the first time ever in the history of the university.
Although there is an obligation to complete the work within the stipulated time, only 32 percent of the work has been completed over the four years.
Read: BGMEA urges BEZA to speed up garment village construction at Mirsarai
According to the concerned departments, sluggish implementation of the project was due to failure in tendering on time. No tenders were invited in the first two years and eight months except for 10 tenders for upward expansion.
“If we had started the construction works by tendering at the beginning, the work would have been done on time,” IU acting chief engineer Munshi Shahid Uddin Mohammad Tarek told UNB.
“Due to COVID-19, the works were suspended for several months and as the price of goods rose, the contractors stopped working hoping subsidy by the government,” he said.
They also applied for a two-and-a-half year extension to complete the work to the project implementation committee and the ministry concerned. “Hopefully, we can finish the work by this time,” he said.
Meanwhile, the land development work under the mega project is yet to start. A company named Galaxy Associate Majumpur, Kushtia got the tender for the work at the cost of Tk 61 lakh but the company did not start working even in nine months after receiving the work order.
Read: Metro Rail: DMP to provide security till specialised unit is formed
When asked about the land development work, IU planning division director M Nawab Ali said that they had sent several letters to the contractor. He did not respond to the letter, he said, adding that his work order would be cancelled soon.
IU vice-chancellor Professor Shaikh Abdus Salam said that the work could not be finished on time due to major restrictions and obstacles including the Covid-19. Final approval process for the extension of two years was underway.
“We do not want to go for an additional two years, unless there are major obstacles, we hope to finish the work before then,” he said.
44 th BCS written tests of Arabic and Islamic studies on Jan 11
The written tests of Arabic and Islamic studies modules for the 44th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) examinations will be held on January 11, 2023.
Bangladesh Public Service Commission (BPSC) issued a press release on this regard on Monday.
The written tests for Arabic (131) and Islamic Studies (201) of all the candidates will be held from 10 am to 2 pm on that day at Dhaka center of BPSC 71 Auditorium located at Agargaon, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, said the notice.
Read: High Court asks government to urgently appoint five recommended BCS cadres
Exams of these two subjects will not be taken at the regional office of BPSC.
The results of 44th Bangladesh Civil Service (BCS) preliminary test (MCQ type) were published on June 22 this year.
Altogether 15,708 candidates qualified for participating in the written examination.
The preliminary test for the 44th BCS was held on May 27 this year.
Bangladesh School of Internet Governance invites application for fellowship
The Bangladesh Internet Governance Forum (BIGF) will host the 7th Bangladesh School on Internet Governance from February 23 to 25, 2023, in Dhaka.
The fellowship application for the seventh edition of the Bangladesh School of Internet Governance 2023 opened Monday. The application window will close on February 2, 2023.
The three-day course covers the political, legal, economic, sociocultural, and technical dimensions of internet governance.
The curriculum includes academic lectures, case presentations, and breakout sessions for interactive discussion, as well as a multistakeholder practicum on governance, internet governance and digital governance, and the history of internet governance.
It will also cover emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things, blockchain, AR, VR; Metaverse, big data, machine learning, deep learning, cyber security, digital law, international fellowship, human rights, Smart Bangladesh; future challenges, perspectives, and digital diplomacy.
The Bangladesh School on Internet Governance offers a multidisciplinary programme for youth and youth women, including professionals from the private sector, government, academia, civil societies, and media.
BCL men halt Islamic University recruitment test
The leaders and activists of the Islamic University unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, student wing of the ruling Awami League, stopped a recruitment test forcing the job seekers out of the examination hall on the campus in Kushtia on Wednesday.
Witnesses said around two hundred job seekers, who applied for the post of office assistant-cum-computer operator at the political science department of the university, went to IU Nuclear Scientist MA Wazed Miah Science Building to take part in their computer typing test in the morning.
The leaders and activists of the IU BCL unit went to the building and threatened as well as forced the job seekers out of the examination hall at around 9:30am.
The BCL men, at one stage, put the main gate of the third floor of the Nuclear Scientist MA Wazed Miah Science Building of the university under lock and key.
Within minutes, a group of BCL men entered the examination hall and asked the applicants to leave, said several applicants.
The university authorities were yet to make any move against the ruling party men, who threatened not to allow the authorities to hold the recruitment test on the campus without their consent, seeking anonymity, a job seeker said.
The BCL men misbehaved with the job seekers, tore their admit cards and hurled abusive words. Later, the BCL men drove them out of the campus, he added.
“It is very unfortunate that I cannot sit for the recruitment test though I've travelled a long way for this,” said a job seeker who hailed from Panchagarh.
The university administration, however, postponed the recruitment process due to unavoidable reasons, IU acting registrar HM Ali Hasan said.
There was no involvement of incumbent IU BCL unit activists in the incident, IU BCL unit president Faisal Siddique Arafat said.
The former leaders and activists, who work at different offices daily at the university, forced the job seekers out of the examination hall demanding their jobs, he claimed.
Denying the allegation, IU BCL unit former organising secretary M Rasel Joarder said that they did not halt the recruitment test rather the running BCL activists did it.
"I am one of the job seekers of today’s test so why should we halt it," he said.
Read more: 15 injured in BCL factional clash at CU
Charging extra admission fees: Monitoring committees start visiting schools, colleges
The Education Ministry has formed monitoring committees to prevent charging extra admission and readmission fees in different schools and colleges across the country.
Four monitoring committee each led by a deputy secretary, on Wednesday visited a number of educational institutions to check whether the authorities concerned are taking admission fees, development fees and others for 2023 session following the admission policy of the ministry, said a media release of the Education Ministry signed by its public relations officer M Abul Khayer.
Besides, 16 monitoring committees formed by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, eight divisional committees in Dhaka Metropolitan area, 55 district monitoring committees and upazila monitoring committees are also visiting educational institutions to check any violation of the government policy.
Also read: New curriculum to be introduced in 2023: Education Minister
Steps will be taken against those concerned if irregularities are found, it said.
New curriculum to be introduced in 2023: Education Minister
New curriculum will be introduced for primary, secondary and higher secondary level students from next year, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Tuesday.
“The government formulated the new curriculum keeping in mind the labour market at home and abroad. Education from primary to higher secondary level will see a major transformation. As per the plan, the new curriculum will be introduced next year,” she said.
Read more: ADB to invest $2 billion over next 3 years in Bangladesh’s education sector
The education minister revealed these information while speaking at a discussion marking the Victory Day at Anima Chowdhury Auditorium in Natore district town.
Textbooks will be handed over to the students in the new year amid all obstacles, she said.
Terming the opposition political parties including BNP, who have started the anti-government movement, as evil force, Dipu said a vested quarter is involved in destabilising the country ahead of the national election and there is no scope to spare them.
Read more: Girls’ education among 5 core issues in Bangladesh development: Study
Study in New Zealand: Application process, cost for international students
From the creeks of Wellington to the nestled cityscape of Christchurch, the southern end of the Pacific treasures the beautiful country of New Zealand. This small island country is also a growing hub for higher study. With a rich culture, excellent academia, and perfect career growth opportunities, New Zealand can be a higher study destination. Let’s take a look at the study opportunities in New Zealand for international students at the bachelor, master's, and Ph.D. levels.
Why Study in New Zealand?
New Zealand has somewhat modest options compared to Nordic and central European countries. It might even pale compared to its Tasmanian rivals Australia with just 8 universities in total.
But that’s where the catch is. Even though New Zealand has only 8 universities, all of them are listed in the top 500 of the QS World Ranking. Additionally, all the New Zealand universities are part of the Lisbon Qualification Recognition Convention, which allows their degree to be recognized in 50 countries across the world.
Read More: UK accepting applications for GREAT Scholarships
The universities and curriculum are inclined to research as every university offers excellent pedagogy and outcome-based study facilities. New Zealand also offers up to 3 years of post-study visa to secure a job and build a career.
Additionally, the quality of life index in New Zealand is very high at 188 suggesting a perfect mix of PPI, health security as well as overall economic well-being.
Higher Study In New Zealand
New Zealand has a total of 8 universities and over 100 specialized institutions for training-based studies as well as Polytechnic studies. International students can access any of the universities or institutes, but the high concentration has always been on the university.
Read More: Study in Ireland: Application process, cost for international students
Popular streams include business and engineering, with a strong choice for life sciences as well. The university tracks accept students through an individual assessment based on available positions.
There is no centralized admission process in New Zealand for all universities. There are two intakes in New Zealand each year, one in February and the other in September.
Application for the February session starts around September of the previous year, whereas the application for the September intake starts around May of the same year.
Read More: Study in Thailand: Admission process, cost for International Students
For bachelor's, students will have to exclusively follow the central admission process of each university. For thesis-based masters and Ph.D., a prospective student can contact professors to supervise and they might fast-track the application process through recommendations.
Application Process
There are several steps involved in the admission process in New Zealand. And it all starts with choosing the right major and stream.
Choosing a Major
Since New Zealand has only 8 universities, there aren’t any dedicated websites for searching different streams and majors in different universities. So students will have to individually visit the admission section of the universities.
Read More: Higher Study Opportunities in Turkey for International Students: Process, Cost
You can check out the details here:
-University of Auckland
-University of Otago
-University of Canterbury
-Victoria University of Wellington
-Auckland University of Technology
-Massey University
-University of Waikato
-Lincoln University
In addition to streams and courses, students can also follow these websites for admission timelines and guidelines.
Read More: Study in Czech Republic: Application process, cost, scholarships
Required Documents
The second thing to consider is the required documents for the application. New Zealand doesn’t have any specialized requirements like some Nordic countries. Standard certified copies of documents are accepted either through mail or web portal. Some of the common documents applicable across the board include –
-Official Transcripts (Last completed Degree) -LOR -Statement of Purpose -Language Proficiency certification (IELTS/TOEFL iBT) -Proof of application fee payment -Bank statement -Additionally, some universities or majors may specifically require a GRE or GMAT score in case of applying for an MBA. Be sure to check that before proceeding.
Read More: Self-Funded Study Opportunity in France for International Students
Cost of Higher Education in New Zealand
With just 8 universities, it's pretty easy to break down the overall cost of education in New Zealand.
The cost of bachelors in New Zealand is roughly 32,000 NZD per year which translates to about 2121228 BDT (1 NZD = 66 BDT). On the other hand, the cost of master's is about 35,000 NZD or 2320093 BDT. The cost gets reduced for Ph.D. at around 8000 NZD or 530307 BDT per year.
The New Zealand regulation stipulates that you show at least a year’s tuition fee as a bank statement before arriving in New Zealand. Of course, there are other opportunities to cover the tuition fees, and we’ll discuss that in the next points.
Read More: Study in Japan: Scholarships, Tuitions, Application Process for Bangladeshi Students
Scholarship Opportunities in New Zealand
Since the higher study options themselves are limited in New Zealand, the scholarships are also somewhat limited. There are little to no scholarships available at the bachelor's level, with most of the scholarships available at the master's and Ph.D. levels.
Most of the available scholarships are university-based and students are either referred for the scholarship by the professor (in the case of thesis-based masters) or considered by the central admission authority.
Some notable scholarships include –
Lincoln University International Taught Master Merit Scholarships
Wellington Master’s by Thesis Scholarship
Tongarewa Scholarship at Victoria University of Wellington
University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship
University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship
Energy Scholarship at the University of Canterbury.
Read More: Is Norway Ending Free University Education for Non-EU Students?
Cost of Living and Work Opportunities in New Zealand
The cost of living in New Zealand is on the higher side, mostly due to the high rent fees in city centers. A single-room apartment may cost up to 1500 NZD. Combined with personal expenses and utilities, the cost comes in at around 3000 NZD per month or 198865 BDT.
Students are allowed to work 20 hours per week at max with 40 hours being the cap at summer vacation.
Thankfully, New Zealand has a high minimum wage starting at around 18.50 NZD per hour.
After completion of the study, a student can convert their student visa into a job visa. The median salary for a fresh graduate in New Zealand stands at around 80,000 NZD or 5303071 BDT per year.
Read More: Study in Belgium: Bachelor's, Masters and PhD options for Bangladeshi students
Final Words
Even though New Zealand is a small island country across the end of the Pacific, it still boasts some of the best education in its limited capacity. With over 20,000 international students currently pursuing different degrees at different levels, New Zealand is also growing to be a multicultural, cosmopolitan country. The lenient immigration law combined with ample work and career prospects should be a positive indicator for Bangladeshi students wishing to pursue higher studies in New Zealand.
Govt primary school assistant teacher recruitment test result published
The result of the government primary school assistant teacher recruitment test, 2022 has been published.
About 37,574 candidates have been selected based on written test and viva voce, according to a press release from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
Read more: Primary schools to have one shift from Jan 2023: Secretary
Selected candidates will receive result SMS on mobile phone number.
The results have also been published on the website of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (www.mopme.gov.bd) and the website of the Directorate of Primary Education (www.dpe.gov.bd).
Selected candidates are requested to appear in person at the District Primary Education Office concerned with original copies of all certificates and three copies of National Identity Card, Police Verification Form, Health Fitness Certificate issued by Civil Surgeon by December 31.
Read more: Online transfer system of govt primary teachers resumes
The first phase of the examination was held on April 22, second phase on May 20, and third phase on June 3.
The number of candidates in this year's recruitment test for assistant teachers was 13,09,461.
At present, there are 65,566 govt primary schools in the country with 4,28,701 vacant teachers’ post.
Public universities lagged behind pvt ones in adopting online classes during pandemic: PM
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (December 12, 2022) said that public universities in Bangladesh lagged behind in adapting to virtual or online class when the government tried to introduce it during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Let me share something regrettable. Our public universities were a bit slow in using the digital system in education during the pandemic period. They were far behind (compared to private universities),” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while attending the inaugural programme of Digital Bangladesh Day 2022.
ICT Division organised the programme at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) with the theme ‘Advanced Technology Inclusive Development’.
Read more: From ‘Digital Bangladesh’ to ‘Smart Bangladesh’ by 2041, PM announces
Sheikh Hasina said that during the pandemic, public universities expressed reluctance to go for online classes.
“Private universities started that (online classes) quickly. But our public universities (did not), even Dhaka University (did not start promptly),” she said.
She said that after repeated requests, public universities of the country introduced online classes.
“That was the reality. When a system is beneficial to us, why should we not adopt that?” – she questioned.
Read more: $230bn needed: PM seeks support from global partners to implement climate adaptation plan
If there were no ‘Digital Bangladesh’, what would have happened during the Covid-19 pandemic, she wondered. “Everything would come to a standstill.”
The Prime Minister also elaborated on her government’s ICT-friendly initiatives and Vision 2041 to establish Smart Bangladesh.
She mentioned that successful implementation of Digital Bangladesh made it possible for the government to keep the economy, education and other activities running properly during the pandemic.
Regarding the economic situation worldwide due to the coronavirus pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, sanctions and counter-sanctions, Sheikh Hasina said that prices of essentials have increased globally.
Read More: Huawei ICT Incubator announces top 6 startups from Bangladesh
“Developed countries are facing a volatile situation. Even developed countries like Great Britain have declared recession. By the grace of Allah, we are still able to run our economic wheel,” she said.