United News of Bangladesh

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Sunday said the government is reviewing the current primary school admission process and will decide on the system for 2027 after consulting stakeholders. The admission pressure is mainly seen in urban areas particularly in Dhaka while rural schools usually do not face such competition due to relatively lower student numbers, he said responding to a supplementary question in Parliament from MP Abul Hasnat Abdullah from Cumilla. “The lottery system was introduced earlier to address the admission pressure in city schools but I personally do not think it is a very logical system,” Milon told the House. He said the government will hold seminars and discussions with stakeholders including parents to build public opinion before finalising the admission system for January 2027. Hasnat Abdullah expressed concerns about the shift from merit-based admission to a lottery system at the primary level. He argued that the change has weakened the quality of feeder institution which ultimately affects the quality of students entering universities. The lawmaker also questioned whether an inclusive education system could be achieved while maintaining three parallel streams in the country—Bangla medium, English medium and madrasa education—which he said largely reflect economic disparities among families. In response, the Education Minister acknowledged that Bangladesh currently has multiple streams of education and integrating them is a complex process. He said the government has already formed a committee to bring English-medium schools under a regulatory framework aligned with national policies. The minister added that work has also begun to reform the Ebtedayee (primary madrasha) system and explore ways to incorporate the Qawmi education stream within a broader national education framework. “We are taking initiatives to gradually coordinate these different streams so that the education system becomes more unified in future,” he said.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Thursday directed the officials concerned to introduce AI-based automation in teacher transfer processes in schools and colleges to curb lobbying and ensure greater transparency. The minister gave the directive at a view-exchange meeting with officials of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE). Various measures were discussed at the meeting to address administrative weaknesses within the Education Ministry and its affiliated departments. He stressed the need for stronger coordination, open discussion and mutual cooperation to make the working environment more effective and service-oriented. “We have to reduce unnecessary gaps within the administration and build a collaborative work culture so that the speed and quality of services in the education sector improve,” he said. He urged officials to give opinions fearlessly and based on logic. Emphasising prompt resolution of teachers’ administrative issues, Milon said teachers from different regions should not have to spend unnecessary time visiting offices. “Matters related to salaries, allowances, pensions, leave, transfers, training and higher education must be disposed of within a specified timeframe.” He also underscored the importance of expanding automation and digital systems to simplify and modernise service delivery. “In future, a system can be developed enabling service seekers to easily identify the relevant desk or official according to the nature of their problems. There is no alternative to expanding online services.” When officials highlighted certain limitations in existing online systems and software management, the minister directed them to resolve the issues promptly to make administrative activities more dynamic and transparent. Senior officials of the Education Ministry and DSHE were present at the meeting.

Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon on Wednesday announced closer monitoring and enhanced oversight to improve the quality of primary education, saying necessary steps will be taken to accelerate work and motivate all concerned. “Education begins at the primary school level. So we must increase our focus right from the start. Without proper implementation of plans, it is not possible to achieve the desired outcomes,” Milon said while addressing a view-exchange meeting with officials at the Directorate of Primary Education. Education Minister urges action from UGC to develop world-class universities The minister said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman holds a weekly review meeting on education every Saturday, where progress of the week’s activities must be presented. “Ensuring dynamism and accountability in the education sector is now a demand of the time.” Referring to various demands and grievances of officials and employees, Milon said, “There will always be demands, and it is not possible to fulfil all of them completely. The reasonable ones will be addressed in phases. No one will be deprived.” Expressing optimism that the BNP government would increase budget allocation for primary education, the minister said the sector is likely to receive a higher budget this time. Initiatives will be taken to resolve justified complaints through detailed discussions and effective decisions. Technical education must align with global labour market trends: Education Minister The minister also stressed the need to strengthen activities up to the field level, saying greater dedication from all concerned would help improve education standards. “We need to focus on what we have done, what should be done and how we can further enhance the quality of education.” He further noted that previous projects undertaken by the Education Ministry would be evaluated to assess how far their missions and visions were implemented. While earlier initiatives placed relatively more emphasis on infrastructure development, the focus will now shift to ensuring quality education. The meeting was chaired by Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman and attended by senior and field-level officials of the department.