United News of Bangladesh

The secondary level educational institutions will remain closed Thursday (tomorrow) due to the ongoing heatwave. The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) issued a notice in this regard on Wednesday. Read more: Govt primary schools to remain closed from June 5-8 due to heat wave condition “All concerned are requested to implement this decision,” said the notice.  Earlier, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education decided to suspend classes at primary schools from June 5 to 8.  Also read:  According to Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), severe heat wave is sweeping Rajshahi, Dinajpur, Jashore & Syedpur districts and mild to moderate heat wave is sweeping Dhaka, Mymensingh, Khulna, Barishal & Sylhet divisions and parts of Rangpur & Rajshahi divisions and the districts of Cumilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Feni & Bandarban and it may continue. Read more: 2 dead in shooting after high school graduation ceremony in Virginia capital

The results of undergraduate programme of Arts, Law and Social Science unit of Dhaka University for the 2023-24 academic session have been published with a pass rate of 9.69 %. DU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman published the results at 1 pm from the Abdul Motin Chowdhury virtual classroom. Students can check their results at admission.eis.du.ac.bd or can use a short message service (SMS). Also Read: DU admission test: Science and Fine Arts results published For SMS notification of the results, candidate shall type DU  [exam roll]  and send it to 16321. A total of 11,169 students passed the exam while only 2934 students will be enrolled. There are a total of 2934 seats in the Arts, Law and Social Science unit of which 908 are allocated for science background students, 1,744 seats for arts background students and 282 seats for business background students. All the eligible students have been asked to fill up the subject choice form online. This year, 1,22,834 students applied for 2,943 seats under this unit.    

There are 37,926 vacant posts of headmaster and assistant teachers in 66,566 primary schools in the country at present. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Ministry Md. Zakir Hossen informed this at parliament on Tuesday. In response to a question of Awami League MP, Abul Kalam Azad, Zakir Hossen said that the government has a plan to fill the vacant posts of headmaster and assistant teachers. Also Read: Assimilated govt. college teachers demand job security In reply to the lawmakers’ tabled question, the state minister said, 29,858 posts of headmaster and 8,068 posts of assistant teacher are vacant now. He said that a requisition was sent to the Bangladesh Public Service Commission on January 4 from the Ministry of Public Administration for the filling 1,955 vacancies of headmasters.  In reply to another query from Jatiya Party MP Pir Fazlur Rahman, the State Minister for Primary and Mass Education said that the total number of primary school teachers in the country is 4.27 lakh. Among them, 3.90 lakh are in service. Meanwhile, Education Minister Dipu Moni in reply to a query from reserved seat MP Khaleda Khanam, told parliament that there is a plan to establish a university in each district and a medical university in each division.  She informed the House that at present there are two women's universities in the country—one is a private university and the other is an international women's university. Also Read: 366 govt primary schools in Kurigram run without head teacher In response to a query from AL MP Nasimul Alam Chowdhury, the education minister said that work in going on to introduce automation software to stop the fraud of educational certificates at the higher education level.  “Once the software is launched, it will be possible to save all the information of university level students and the certificate can be verified online from anywhere in the world. It will be possible to stop certificate fraud,” she also said. ALso Read: HC questions legality of primary school teacher recruitment on quota basis She said that action has already been taken against 678 teachers/employees having fake certificates.    

Prof Md Sajjad Hossain and Prof Muhammad Alamgir have been reappointed as a full-time member of the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh (UGC). Also read: UGC proposes Tk12262 crore for higher education sector for FY2023-24 They have been appointed as members for the next four years. They will be entitled to salaries and other benefits similar to the first term, Ministry of Education issued two separate orders in this regard on Monday, said a press release on Monday. Also read: UGC asks 4 private universities to stop enrollment for failing to fulfill conditions Prior to joining UGC as a member in 2019, Prof Sajjad served as the head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh and Pro Alamgir served as the vice-chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology for two terms. Also read: Pvt universities’ permanent campuses: UGC to go tough as deadline ends on Dec 31

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Monday said that the University Grant Commission (UGC) may now take into account allowing PhD degrees in those private universities which are at the forefront of education and research. “There are some private universities in the country that have capabilities, I believe. This is high time for UGC to think about enabling those to provide PhD degrees. Otherwise m, we can’t encourage research,” she said. Read more: Inadequate education budget hinders growth, students say; demand increase The minister made the remarks while addressing the inauguration ceremony of the country’s largest education expo organised by Education Reporters Association Bangladesh (ERAB) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city. Urging the students to become good human beings and to dedicate themselves to nation building, Dipu Moni said, “The government is increasing the allocation for the country’s education sector every year. Though it is poor in terms of GDP, it’s increasing as a whole.  Now the allocation for our research has also been increased.” In her address as chief guest of the programme, the minister called upon the students to adroit themselves for enrolling in the job market. “Along with Bangla, English, we have to make our youth skilled in all fields including linguistics,  soft skills, problem solving skills, communication skills.” Read more: Budget 2023-24: Govt allocates Tk88,162 crore in education sector, up 8.2% Dr Dipu Moni said it will take time like 2025 to implement the new curriculum. The benefits will be visible in the next seven or eight years and that's why we all have to work together. Presided by ERAB President Mir Mohammad Jasim and moderated by General Secretary Faruk Hossain, the inaugural function was attended, among others, by Bangladesh Accreditation Council Chairman Prof Dr Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, University Grants Commission (UGC) member Professor Dr Biswajit Chandra, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) Vice Chancellor  Prof Dr Satya Prasad Majumder, Jessore University of Science and Technology Vice Chancellor  Prof Dr Anwar Hossain and National University Vice Chancellor  Prof Dr Mashiur Rahman. Read more: We’ve incorporated interactive learning at primary, secondary levels to ensure quality education: Dipu Moni More than 60 public and private universities, polytechnic institutes and other educational institutions have come up with their research, publications and innovations. The fair started at 9 am and will continue till 8 pm. It will be open to all.

The results of  undergraduate programme of Science and Fine Arts faculties of Dhaka University  have been published. DU Vice Chancellor Prof. Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman published the results at 1 pm from the Abdul Motin Chowdhury virtual classroom. Students can check their results at admission.eis.du.ac.bd or can use short message service (SMS). For SMS notification of the results, candidate shall type DU  [exam roll]  and send it to 16321. A total of 111,09 students of science unit passed the exam while only 1851 students will be enrolled. Read: DU Arts, Law and Social Science unit admission test held From science unit, S. M Nafizul Aziz, Students of Rajshahi College, came 1st in the test scoring 108.25 out of 120 marks while Sisrat Jahan from Humanities section stood first scoring 103.25. For Business section,  Nahian Bin Alim, came 1st scoring 85 85 marks out of 120. This year the admission tests were arranged in a combined setting where students from all backgrounds (Science, Commerce and Arts) participated in the test under Science unit. Students will get admitted in their respective units as per their allocation. There are total 1851 seats in science unit of which 1775 are allocated for science background students, 51 seats for arts background students and 25 seats for business background students. Read more: DU admission test: Restrictions on vehicular movement in RU In the fine arts faculty, a total of 212  students passed the exam while only 130 students will be enrolled. Sommoydipto Mandal, student of Dhaka College, came 1st in the test scoring 102 out of total 120 marks. All the eligible students have been asked to fill up the subject choice form online between June 18 to July 6. Read more: DU holds 'Ka' unit admission test

As the financial year 2023-24 approaches, concerns are arising over the budget allocation for the education sector. The budget allocation was a subject of discussion among students from Dhaka University, technical institutes, and madrasas. Iman Islam, a third-year student majoring in accounting at Dhaka University, expressed his thoughts: “Although the budget allocation for the education sector has increased compared to last year's figures, in the proposed budget, it stands at 1.76 percent of the GDP. While the monetary value has risen compared to last year, it has not increased in real terms. The education sector must receive a larger share of the GDP to effectively address the current challenges.” Abu Bakr Siddiq Riyad, a third-year student of DU’s Mass Communication and Journalism department, emphasized the importance of prioritizing the education sector. He remarked, “To keep pace with the rapidly evolving world, the education sector needs better organization and increased attention. Budget allocation should be augmented accordingly.” Siddik Faruk, another third-year student from Dhaka University, highlighted the disparity between the ideal and actual budget allocation for education. “Ideally, 20 percent of the total budget should be allocated to the education sector. However, our country currently only allocates around 10 percent. This must be increased gradually to meet the needs of our economy and ensure progress in the knowledge-based economy of the future,” he said. As the country strives for a knowledge-based economy, it becomes imperative to prioritize and adequately fund the education sector. The allocation for research in universities should also be increased to promote innovation and advance the nation's progress, he added. The insufficient budget allocation not only affects general education but also hinders technical education. Kazi Shahadat Hossain Shakib, who recently completed his diploma from Chittagong Polytechnical Institute, emphasized the significance of technical education in a rapidly advancing world. He said, “Technical education is crucial for keeping up with the times and contributing to the development of a digital Bangladesh. Increased budget allocation and incentives are necessary to make technical education more practical and to update outdated equipment.” The students' collective sentiment underscores the urgent need for a higher allocation in the education sector, considering the rising inflation and the challenges students face in meeting their daily needs.  

BRAC University (BRACU) has achieved the 5th position in the latest Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2023. The university has achieved the milestone in the United Nations (UN) ‘Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: No poverty, according to a press release. BRACU was placed at the top among all Bangladeshi universities and 301- 400 globally in the overall impact ranking. The 2023 Impact Rankings include 1,591 universities from 112 countries and regions, it added. THE University Impact Ranking 2023 was released on Thursday which assesses universities around the world based on their performance in meeting the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Brac University excelled in the “SDG-1: No Poverty” category, securing the fifth position globally with a very high score of 86.5. This achievement reflects the university's dedication to alleviating poverty through its innovative teaching, research, and community engagement programs. Brac University also performed strongly in other SDGs, including SDG-4: Quality Education, SDG-8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and SDG-16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions. Brac University's Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Syed Mahfuzul Aziz, said, “These outstanding rankings reaffirm Brac University's strong commitment to creating positive social impact and contributing to sustainable global development.” “The university remains dedicated to nurturing future leaders, conducting relevant and impactful research, and driving positive changes in society,” Prof. Aziz added.  

At least eight people were injured in clashes between two factions of Bangladesh Chhatra League at Chittagong University in the last two days. An assistant proctor of the university, police and six activists of Chhatra League were reportedly injured in the clashes which started on Wednesday morning over a trivial incident.    

Finance Minister AHM Musatafa Kamal on Thursday (June 1, 2023) proposed an allocation of Tk 88,162 crore for the education sector in the national budget of Bangladesh for the fiscal year 2023-2024, up from Tk 81, 449 in the current fiscal. It's an increase of 8.2% over the last budget. In the proposed budget, Tk 34,722 crore was allocated against the Primary and Mass Education Ministry for 2023-24, which was Tk 31,761 crore in 2022-23, while Tk 42,838 crore against the Secondary and Higher education sector, which was Tk. 39,961 crore in 2022-23 and Tk 10,602 crore against the Technical and Madrasa Education Division, which was Tk. 9,727 crore in 2022-23. While unveiling the national budget, the minister said “We are decentralising education planning and management and implementing a 'School Level Improvement Plan (SLIP)' to enhance efficiency in primary education management.” Read more: Budget sets 7.5 percent annual economic growth, inflation at 6 percent Under this plan, the delegation of financial power has been restructured at the field level. An integrated education Programme has been launched to ensure education in mainstream government primary schools for all children of the society including children with special needs. Some 26,366 posts of teachers have been created in the pre-primary level of government primary school. Recruitment against a total of 32,577 posts including the newly created posts have been completed. Apart from the recruitment of the required number of teachers, primary school teachers are being trained on 5 core and 3 non-core subjects to increase the quality of education, he said. Besides, greater importance is being given to technology-based education to equip students for building a ‘Smart Bangladesh’, said the minister. Read more: Tax-free income limit increases to Tk3.5 lakh A total of 59,000 laptops, multimedia projectors and sound systems have been provided along with internet connectivity to more than 50,000 government primary schools to set up multimedia classrooms. Some 800 officers have been trained on ICT and more than 1 lakh teachers have been imparted hands-on training to create digital content. These teachers are creating digital content and teaching in the classrooms. As a result, classroom study is becoming interesting and the children are becoming more attentive in class, Kamal said. Meanwhile, special allocation is being given to schools for continuing teaching activities in schools in emergencies. The ongoing school feeding programme for more than 29 lakh students of 15,470 government primary schools in 104 upazilas of 35 districts of the country through the project titled 'School Feeding in Poverty-stricken Areas' has been completed recently. “We are continuing our efforts to transform educational institutions into modern and model institutions. A total of 351 secondary schools and 371 private colleges have been nationalized since 2009 to April 2023. As many as 315 private secondary schools located in upazila headquarters without government schools have been converted into model schools,” he said. Readmore: Finance Minister unveils Tk 761,785 crore national budget The construction work of 180 buildings has been completed for the government post-graduate colleges located at the district headquarters. Out of the 1,610 colleges selected under the private colleges’ development project, the construction of ICT-friendly buildings has been completed in 1,473 colleges. Under SESDP (Secondary Education Sector Development Plan), 33 model madrasas have been set up along with 62 new schools in underprivileged areas. At present, 176 academic buildings are being constructed to expand science education along with 33 hostels under the Expansion of Science Education in Government Colleges Project. A total of 33,285 multimedia classrooms and 11,307 computer labs have been set up in selected educational institutions since 2009 to enhance students’ proficiency in information technology and to modernize teaching methods. In addition, 64,925 multimedia classrooms and 12,000 labs will be set up in future. The digital content of 21 textbooks of primary level and the interactive digital text of 16 textbooks of class 6 have been completed and uploaded on the website. E-learning modules for 6 textbooks of class 7 and class 8 and e-learning material of 6 textbooks for class 9 and class 10 have been developed and uploaded. A total of 710 ICT learning centres have been set up in selected educational institutions. Read more: Curbing inflation without destabilising macroeconomic situation presents challenge for budget: Selim Raihan Audio-visual training content has been developed for teachers on classroom activities of all subjects of class 6 and 7 and training has been imparted to all teachers through open reading.