Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Saturday said that the government is giving top priority to technical education, stressing that it is essential for the country’s overall development.

“The Prime Minister is giving the highest priority to technical education and technical education must not be neglected under any circumstances. There is no alternative to it in driving national progress,” he said while inaugurating a seminar titled Regional Skills and Innovation Competition at the auditorium in Rajshahi Polytechnic Institute.

Education must be aligned with the demands of the industrial sector and there is no scope for wasting time in this regard, he said.

Highlighting the need for reform, the minister said Bangladesh must establish a unified education system free from social disparity to ensure sustainable economic advancement.

He also emphasised the importance of developing skilled human resources through hands-on learning.

Students should have opportunities to gain practical experience so they can directly contribute to the country’s development, he said.

Referring to countries like Japan, the United States and Canada, the minister said their strong global positions are largely built on technical education which creates opportunities and improves living standards.

Later, the minister visited various stalls showcasing innovative projects.

Twenty-eight technical institutions participated in the competition who presented a total of 84 innovative projects.

From these, six projects will be selected to compete in the national round scheduled to be held in Dhaka on May 27.