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.

The government is considering the recruitment of around 9,000 religion  teachers in primary schools as part of efforts to strengthen moral and religious education, Education Minister A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon told Parliament on Sunday. The government has placed renewed emphasis on primary education and is preparing a number of reforms under a 180-day programme initiated by the government, he said responding to a question raised by MP Monirul Chowdhury from Cumilla. He said primary education received significant attention during the tenure of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and the current government is again prioritising the sector. The minister said  the government has already received directives to introduce major changes to the primary education system, with particular attention to strengthening moral values and religious awareness among students. However, he noted that there are some complications regarding the certification of teachers particularly those who have studied in Qawmi madrasha system. The subject of Qira’at (Qur’anic recitation) which many Qawmi graduates specialise in, does not formally exist in the mainstream madrasha curriculum, creating administrative complexities in recognising qualifications, he added. “The ministry is working to resolve these certification issues so that qualified candidates can be recruited as Islamic Studies teachers.” Milon also said religion education would not be limited to Islam alone. “We are moving forward by giving importance to the religious sentiments of followers of all faiths,” he said. Earlier, MP Monirul Chowdhury raised concerns about what he described as a deterioration in the education system over the past 15 to 17 years, despite improvements in school infrastructure. He said many primary schools now have good buildings but a shortage of students citing examples where the number of teachers exceeds that of pupils. The MP also urged the government to make moral education, Qur’anic education, the history of the Liberation War and the July uprising mandatory in the national curriculum to restore values among students.

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.

The results of the Junior Scholarship Examination were published on Wednesday, with a total of 46,200 students selected under two categories. Of them, 14,700 students secured scholarships in the talent pool category while 31,500 were awarded general scholarships. The results of the examination held after a gap of 17 years were announced at 1:30pm on Wednesday. Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon formally announced the results at a function held at the conference room of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry. State Minister for Education Bobby Hajjaj was present at the event. According to the published results, a total of 3,15,160 students participated in the Junior Scholarship Examination under nine general education boards across the country. Under Dhaka Education Board, 3,635 students received talent pool scholarships and 7,790 received general scholarships while 967 students secured talent pool scholarships and 2,073 received general scholarships under Mymensingh Education Board. Besides, Rajshahi Education Board awarded 1,926 talent pool and 4,128 general scholarships while Cumilla Education Board awarded 1,677 talent pool and 3,593 general scholarships. A total of 948 students received talent pool scholarships and 2,030 received general scholarships under Sylhet Education Board and Barishal Education Board awarded 873 talent pool and 1,871 general scholarships. The Jashore Education Board awarded 1,662 talent pool and 3,561 general scholarships while the Chattogram Education Board awarded 1,210 talent pool and 2,593 general scholarships. 1,802 students secured talent pool scholarships and 3,861 received general scholarships under Dinajpur Education Board. Results can be accessed through the website of the Directorate of Primary Education by clicking on the ‘Scholarship Result’ option and entering the roll number and year (2026). Students can also obtain their results via SMS by typing the board name, roll number and year and sending the message to 16222. Students selected under the talent pool category will receive Tk 450 per month while those under the general category will receive Tk 300 per month. The scholarships will continue for two years (Classes IX and X) along with a one-time annual grant. The examinations were held from December 28 to 30 last year and on January 6 this year at 611 centres under nine general education boards across the country.

Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury on Wednesday said that the government has nationalised 828 educational institutions in the last 15 years. They include 54 schools and colleges, 374 colleges, 347 schools and 49 technical institutions, he said in Parliament. No plan to change new education system: Education Minister The education minister said this while responding to a tabled question of ruling party MP elected from Chattogram M Abdul Latif. In response to the question of Awami League lawmaker elected from Natore Shafiqul Islam Shimul of Natore-2 constituency, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said that the present government has no plan to resume JSC and PSC final examinations. Seminar on the genetics of purple potato held at BAU In response to the question of M Abdul Latif, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Rumana Ali said that currently the number of government primary schools in the country is 51,026. “The process of bringing private educational institutions under registration under new rules is going on. The government has no plan to nationalise those private educational institutions,” she said. IU fresher ‘ragged by BCL men’ again

Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury on Sunday said the new curriculum will contribute to job creation as per the domestic and international market demands. “ The current government has introduced a competency-based and student participation-based curriculum instead of the traditional curriculum,” he said. MBBS admission test results published The minister said these when a delegation led by Edimon Ginting, country director of the Asian Development Bank in Bangladesh paid a courtesy call on him at his office at the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat on Sunday. During the meeting, the ADB country director assured the minister of enhanced cooperation for the development of technical and vocational education and teachers training. Chhatra Union's DU unit protests sexual harassment allegation against professor He said that the Asian Development Bank will always stand beside Bangladesh to build inclusive and dynamic education management through effective coordination between technical and general streams. Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said that ADB can play a role in sharing the teaching-learning experiences of countries in the Asian region in implementing the new curriculum, said a press release. DU student files sexual harassment complaint against senior teacher of MCJ dept The ADB country director hoped the new curriculum will help to transform Bangladesh's potential human capital into human resources.

Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel said on Monday that if there is anything confusing in the new textbooks, it will be corrected. He urged everyone to refrain from unhealthy politics in the name of opposing the curriculum. He said participation of madrasa teachers in the National Curriculum and Textbook Board will be ensured. As a result, they will be able to give their opinions and contribute to the textbooks prepared for madrasas. What BRAC University says about Asif Mahtab The minister was speaking at a view exchange meeting with the Swadhinata Madrasa Teachers' Council at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Monday. The minister highlighted the centuries-long tradition of discussing Islamic philosophy in the country's Aliya madrasas in this subcontinent. He emphasized that the new curriculum, aligned with Islamic education, has been warmly received by students and parents. He further mentioned that the new curriculum is skill-oriented and will assist madrasa students in entering the job market without any conflict with religious values. DPS STS Dhaka organises STEAM Carnival to promote innovation Nowfel emphasized that after Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the current Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has played the most significant role in the development of religious education. The government has not only constructed 18 madrasa buildings but also enrolled a significant number of madrasas under the MPO (Monthly Pay Order) system, he informed. JnU student Khadija discharged from one DSA case During the meeting, the Secretary of the Ministry of Religious and Madrasa Education, Dr. Farid Uddin Ahmed, stated that madrasa students study religious subjects alongside the national curriculum. Therefore, they are actively contributing to various fields while maintaining harmony with the mainstream. Habibur Rahman, Director-General of the Department of Madrasa Education, and Dr Abdul Rashid, Vice-Chancellor of the Islamic Arabic University, were present at the time, among others.

All coaching centres will remain closed for a month as the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations are scheduled to begin from February 15, said Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel. This year, a total of 20,24,192 examinees will appear in the examinations from 29,735 educational institutions at 3700 centres, he said while talking to reporters after a meeting over ensuring fair and copying-free environment during the examinations. EWU hosts freshers’ orientation for the 2024 Spring Semester The coaching centres will remain shut from February 13 to March 12, he added. The meeting also decided that no mobile phone and electronic devices will be allowed in the examination centres and only the hall secretary will be allowed to use a general phone set without internet connection. Don't put pressure on children for study: JnU VC Sadeka Halim The question code will be announced 25 minutes before the exam begins. Secretary to the Secondary and Higher Secondary Educaiton Soleman Khan, Secretary to the Technical and Madrasha Education Department Farid Uddin Ahmed, chairman of all education boards and law enforcing agencies were present at the meeting. Education Minister calls for further review of exam and evaluation system

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams for 2024 will be held in February while Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams will be held in April, Bangladesh's Education Minister Dipu Moni said today (August 17, 2023). “For the past several years, the authorities concerned had to rearrange the academic calendar due to the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disaster, but it will be fully set from next year,” she hoped. The minister came up with the information while talking to reporters after visiting an SSC exam hall at Tejgaon College in Dhaka. “We will try our level best to hold HSC exams in April and SSC exams in February, from next year,” she added. HSC exams to be held on schedule: Dipu Moni Dipu Moni claimed that there has been no question paper leak in public exams in the last five years. “We have been on alert to prevent question paper leak since 2015 and I hope there will be no untoward incident during this year’s HSC exams.” If anyone tried to spread rumours, law enforcing agencies will take stern action against them, she said. HSC and equivalent exams for 2023 began across the country today. Students sat for the Bangla first paper exam on the first day, at 10 am. HSC exams to start on August 17 as per schedule: Dipu Moni A total of 13,59, 342 students — 6,88, 887 boys and 6,70,455 girls — are expected to sit for this year’s HSC exams, 1,55,935 more than the previous year. According to the routine, HSC written exams will continue till September 25 while practical exams will be held from September 26 to October 4. The HSC exams is being held at 2,658 exam centres and 9,169 educational institutions. Among the total students, 11,08,594 students will appear for HSC under the nine general education boards, 98,031 under the Madrasa board, and 1,52,717 under the Technical Education board. Not possible to nationalise private educational institutions before national polls: Dipu Moni