President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said the country’s education system must be revamped, taking into consideration its literature, heritage, culture, employment needs and overall requirements.

He made the remarks when a delegation of the Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB) paid a courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.

The President said the fragile education system inherited from the previous regime needs to be restructured.

He stressed the need to bring different streams of education under a coordinated and integrated system. “Indiscriminate approval of substandard educational institutions during the previous fascist regime resulted in the creation of an unskilled workforce,” he said.

Mirza Fakhrul also underscored the need to put greater emphasis on vocational and technical education to develop skilled manpower and boost foreign exchange earnings through overseas employment.

“We have to revamp the education system by considering everything together – our literature, heritage, culture, employment and national needs,” he said.

During the meeting, the APUB delegation briefed the President on the state and development of higher education in the country, the current situation of private universities, skilled human resources development and the contribution of private universities to the country’s economic progress.

The delegation sought the introduction of competency- and outcome-based assessment systems and urged that approval of new universities be based on subject-wise national demand, investment capacity and quality standards.

The APUB representatives also called for allowing qualified universities to offer PhD programmes and conduct research, obtain patents and commercialise innovations.

They further proposed industry-linked curricula, internships and apprenticeships, foreign-language education, and training in artificial intelligence (AI) and professional skills to make every graduate employable.

The delegation also sought to transform the University Grants Commission (UGC) into a supportive and development-oriented regulatory body and urged the formulation of an integrated national education system.

Praising the role of private universities in expanding higher education and contributing to research, innovation and national development, the President said several private universities have maintained their positions in global rankings.

As Chancellor of the universities, the President assured the delegation of his full cooperation in the development of private universities.

The delegation was led by APUB Chairman Dr Md Sabur Khan. Its members included Vice-Chairmen Benajir Ahmed and KBM Moin Uddin Chisty, Treasurer Qayum Reza Chowdhury, Executive Council members Abdul Quasem Haider, Kazi Zahedul Hasan and Nowshad Shamsul Arefin, and APUB Secretariat Director Belal Ahmed.

The President’s Military Secretary and Press Secretary were also present at the meeting.