Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday pledged government support to expand mathematics education and Olympiad activities across Bangladesh, agreeing to fund school-level programmes and introduce activity-oriented mathematics in schools.

The Prime Minister made the commitments when Bangladeshi medal winners of the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) and European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) paid a courtesy call on him at his office at the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat, said his Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin.

During the meeting, the medal-winning students exchanged greetings with the Prime Minister and shared their experiences and achievements at the international mathematics competitions.

Tarique Rahman congratulated the students and wished them greater success in the future.

Representatives of the Bangladesh Girls’ Mathematical Foundation (BGMF) sought the Prime Minister’s support to expand mathematics Olympiad activities at the grassroots level.

The Prime Minister assured them of all necessary government assistance in expanding the initiative.

When a proposal was made to establish a fund to conduct and expand mathematics Olympiad activities at the school level Tarique Rahman immediately agreed to provide funding through the Education Ministry.

The Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee (BdMO) also proposed introducing activity-based mathematics at the school level and the Prime Minister agreed to the proposal.

A proposal was also placed to introduce a separate mathematics competency assessment test for school teachers, similar to the IELTS examination used to assess English-language proficiency.

The Prime Minister assured that the proposal would be considered with due importance.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education and Prime Minister’s Office Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, IMO National Coach Mahbubul Alam Majumdar, BGMF Chair Professor Sadia Hamid Kazi and BdMO member Md Abdul Hakim Khan were present.

The medal winners present were Monami Zaman of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, who won bronze medals at both the IMO and EGMO; Md Raihan Siddiqui of Chattogram College, an IMO silver medalist; Jawad Hamim Chowdhury of Dhaka Imperial College, an IMO bronze medalist; Mohammad Marzuk Rahman of Cantonment English School and College, an IMO bronze medalist; Tahsin Khan of Ananda Mohan College, an IMO bronze medalist; M. Jamiul Hossain of RAJUK Uttara Model School and College, an IMO bronze medalist; and Saji Sehnai of RAJUK Uttara Model School and College, an EGMO bronze medalist.