Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said the country’s educational institutions would be reopened at the end of the current month if the Coronavirus situation improves.
“We hope that the situation may change [improve] at the end of this month and then we can reopen schools, colleges and all other educational institutions,” she said.
The Prime Minister said this while publishing the results of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations 2021
Sheikh Hasina published the results, joining a function at International Mother Language Institute virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban.
Hasina said though online education was conducted during the Covid-19 pandemic, students were deprived of enjoying the classroom learning and company of their peers and friends at their institutions. “Our students are the worst victims of the Coronavirus fallout,” she said.
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The Prime Minister said the Covid-19 vaccination programme continues so that the educational institutions can be reopened.
She said the government has taken measures to bring the people of all levels and stages under the vaccination coverage.
Noting that there is reluctance among people about getting vaccinated, Hasina asked all to take the vaccine shots to protect themselves from the dire consequences of Coronavirus.
Hasina hoped that Bangladesh would be able to tackle the Omicron variant of coronavirus soon.
Hasina said her government is giving the utmost importance to technical and vocational education and setting up technical school in every upazila across the country.
“Our students are very meritorious. If we can give them proper education, they'll be able to grab the job opportunities to be created at home and abroad following the fourth industrial revolution (4IR),” she said.
Also read: General holidays extended till May 30
Hasina said students will need job-oriented education as only the traditional academic degrees are not enough in the era of the 4th IR.
The Prime Minister said she has always given importance to science and technology education since assuming power in 1996.
In order to ensure multidimensional education, she said her government is now establishing university in every district, and setting up different types of universities, including science and technology, agricultural, medical, textile, maritime, airspace and aviation ones in both public and private sectors.
She said the government is setting up multidimensional higher educational institutions in order to create scopes for the country’s students to flourish their merits, imparting them with time-befitting knowledge and ensuring their jobs.
Hasina also stressed the need for strengthening research activities in different sectors with utmost importance on science and medical science research.
“We’ll have to give importance not only to education, but also to research always. We’ve gained significant success in agricultural research. But we still have to give further importance to science and medical science,” she said.
Since her government focused research, today Bangladesh is self-reliant in food production and can grow vegetables throughout the year, said the Prime Minister.
Due to research, Bangladesh has been able to fulfill the domestic food demand but also ensure the arrangements for meeting the nutrition demand of people, she said.
The Prime Minister extended her sincere thanks to the Education Ministry and all the education boards for releasing the results within 44 days after the HSC and equivalent examinations even amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni received the results of HSC and equivalent exams-2021 and related statistics from the chairmen of all the education boards.
At the function, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhoury delivered the welcome speech, while Secondary and Higher Education Secretary Md Abu Bakr Siddique and Technical and Madarash education Secretary Md Aminul Islam Khan presented data and statistics over the HSC and equivalent exams and candidates.