United News of Bangladesh

Professor Dr. Kazi Shahidullah, former Vice Chancellor of National University, has been appointed chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC) for the second consecutive time. The Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education issued a notification on Thursday in this regard. He will serve as the UGC chairman for the next four years, according to the notification. The appointment order will be effective from the date of his joining. Kazi Shahidullah obtained a B.A. (Honours) in 1972 and M.A. in 1973 from the History Department, University of Dhaka, securing the First Class First position in both examinations.  

Memorisation will not prepare students for future challenges, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Monday. “The ability to learn will be critical in the future for which we are training our students… a student should have communication skills, subtle thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and the ability to work with many people. And the more creative and free-thinking a student is, the more proficient the student will become in these subjects. It will not be possible to meet the challenges of the future with memorisation,” she said. Also read: Many new universities don’t have their own campus: Dipu Moni The minister was speaking as the chief guest at a prize distribution ceremony of the winners of various creative works on the national days at the International Mother Language Institute in the capital on Monday afternoon. Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel was present as the special guest. Also read: New curriculum books may contain mistakes: Dipu Moni “We have come up with a new curriculum to transform education. The evaluation system of the students has been revamped. The new curriculum will be implemented in all secondary level classes by 2025,” the minister said.

Admission seekers of Chittagong University (CU) D unit of 2022-23 sessions suffered a lot on Sunday as a shuttle train of the university carrying them went out of order in the middle of the way. The incident took place around 9:30 am on Monday when the campus-bound shuttle was crossing Baluchhara area. The shuttle train was later speedily repaired and activated within 30 minutes. As the train went out of order many admission seekers resorted to alternative transport to reach the campus. Kausar Mahmud, a third-year student of the university's Political Science department, said, “The shuttle train’s brake gear was broken. The admission seekers suffered a lot. Many of them reached the campus by buses and trucks.” Meanwhile, the university authorities started the admission test 15 minutes later due to the shuttle train failure. Professor Siraj-ud-Daula, coordinator of 'D' unit and dean of the Faculty of Sociology, confirmed the matter. "I heard that the engine of the university’s shuttle train was damaged. The exam was started 15 minutes later after informing us about the matter,” he said. University Proctor Dr Mohammad Nurul Azim Sikder said, "We heard about the problem of the shuttle train. Buses were sent and many were brought by buses.”

Dhaka University Chhatra League, today( May 21) formed a rally to protest an alleged threat to kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Students and leaders from different hall units of Dhaka University Chhatra League joined the rally at the premises of anti terrorism Raju sculpture of the University around 11.30 pm. DU chhatra league president Mazarul Kabir Shoyon said, "Conspirators killed Bangabandhu and his family members brutally. There have been many attempts to kill Sheikh Hasina too. It is nothing new but it's an alarming issue. This time they dared to announce their evil will of killing prime minister Sheikh Hasina." "We will not just see if anything happens to the PM. We are ready to prevent them on the highway," he added.  

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is asking for a budget of Tk12262.78 crore for the commission and 53 public universities in the country for the fiscal year 2023-24. In the budget, Tk12185.33 crore has been allocated for public universities and Tk 77.45 crore for UGC. The main budget of the public universities has a revenue budget of Tk 6109.10 crore and a development budget of Tk 676.23 crore in favor of 31 projects at the universities. The budget was approved in the 165th full commission meeting chaired by UGC Chairman, Professor Dr Kazi Shahidullah on Sunday (May 21). UGC Secretary Dr. Ferdous Zaman presented the working papers of the meeting. The revised budget for the FY2022-23 and the main budget for the FY 2023-24 were presented in detail by Md. Abu Taher, a member in charge of the Finance and Accounts Department of UGC. In the current fiscal year 2022-23, Tk 9265.17 crore has been allocated in the revised budget of 53 public universities. In this case, the allocation for public universities in the financial year 2023-24 has increased by Tk 2920 crores. In FY 2023-24, Dhaka University (DU) received the highest revenue budget of Tk 853.80 crore and the DU also received the highest budget allocation of Tk 15 crore in the research sector. Around Tk174 crores have been allocated in the main budget for the FY 2023-24 for the research of UGC and public universities in higher education. Compared to the current financial year, the allocation for this sector has been increased by Tk 24 crore in the budget. In the revised budget of the last FY 2022-23, an allocation of Tk 150 crore was considered for the research sector. About 55 guidelines and an austerity direction in allocation and expenditure of the revised FY 2022-23 and original budget (operations) for FY 2023-24 have been issued for the universities.

The Bangladesh Madrasah Education Board authorities on Thursday deferred the examination for higher mathematics scheduled to be held on May 25 due to an unavoidable reason. A media release signed by Md Kamal Uddin, controller of the education board, said this on Thursday night.   Earlier, the board also postponed the examination for English first paper scheduled to be held on May 14 due to the cyclone Mocha. The deferred examinations of the English first paper and the higher mathematics will be held on May 27 and 28 respectively across the country simultaneously, the release reads. Also, the practical and oral tests of all subjects will be held from May 29 to June 4 next month, it said.  

The University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) has recently placed 75th in the Global Top 100 Innovative Universities in the World's Universities with Real Impact (WURI)'s 2023 Ranking. The university has moved up 21 positions from its previous rank 96 in 2022, according to a press release. In ceremonies held on May 17 in Fort Myers, Florida, WURI Project Leader Professor MOON Hwy-Chang announced that ULAB has placed 75th in the top 100 universities. The top five ranked universities are: (1) Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute (USA); (2) Arizona State University (USA); (3) University of Pennsylvania (USA); (4) Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA); and (5) Stanford University (USA). Among Bangladeshi universities, ULAB topped the list among seven universities that participated. The other universities on the WURI ranking’s Top 300 are International University on Business, Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT), American International University Bangladesh (AIUB), World University Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University (BSMRAU), Canadian University Bangladesh (CUB) and Daffodil International University (DIU). This year, ULAB also ranked up from its previous positions in various WURI categories. Under the Industrial Application category, ULAB’s entry “ULAB TV” improved its rank from 49 in 2022 to 36 in 2023.  Under the Entrepreneurial Spirit category, ULAB’s Dhaka International Mobile Film Festival (DIMFF) increased its rank from 25 in 2022 to 19 in 2023.  Under the Ethical Value category, ULAB’s entry on Curriculum Integration Program jumped from rank 36 in 2022 to 28 in 2023.  Under the Crisis Management category, ULAB’s entry regarding its post pandemic strategy upgraded its position from 24 in 2022 to 15 in 2023. Under the Fourth Industrial Revolution category, ULAB entry “Digital Journalism: An Advanced Study Program for the Fourth Industrial Revolution” was ranked 20. The WURI Ranking is composed of the Global Top 100 and the Top 50 in each of the following categories: (1) Industrial Application; (2) Entrepreneurial Spirit; (3) Ethical Value; (4) Student Mobility and Openness; (5) Crisis Management; and (6) Fourth Industrial Revolution. The WURI Ranking was developed by the Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU). The HLU Board of Trustees consists of university presidents from the Netherlands, China, Russia, Germany, South Korea, USA and Finland.   The mission of HLU is innovation in teaching and research in higher education institutions.  Given its mission, HLU formed an alternative ranking system called WURI.  Instead of looking at statistics on research, internationalisation, and perception, the WURI evaluates a university's real contribution to society. It highlights creative and innovative approaches to university research and education.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni has said it is not possible to face the new challenges of education in the 21st century only with traditional education and everyone need to work together to bring changes in the education system in the new era. “Blending the education system is a part of this change but so is everyone working together on this journey of change. Our aim is to pave the way to build a smart Bangladesh by creating a smart education system through the collective efforts of all. That's why everyone should believe in this mission-vision and work forward,” she said The education minister  said these in an international consultation titled “Accelerating Blended Education for Smart Bangladesh” organized at a hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday with stakeholders from different sectors. The programme was organized under the initiative of the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the World Economic Forum and Aspire to Innovate-a2i, said a press release on Wednesday. “Covid, though unexpected, has given us an opportunity to transform our education system. As a result, we have taken some steps that will help us fulfill our future dreams. We are on the way to fulfilling our dreams. We aim to ensure infrastructure development where all teachers and students can complete the learning and teaching process using quality technology. We are moving towards the solution of skill development through which students will earn their own money and participate in the economic growth of the country,” she said. Blended Education Master Plan is one of the steps in this dream journey, said Dipu Moni adding that  in order to fulfill this dream, the government as well as private institutions, NGOs and global leaders like the World Economic Forum should work together. Mentioning the importance of technical excellence in the implementation of blended education system, State Minister of Information and Communication Technology Division, Zunaid Ahmed Palak said, ‘Our aim is to work with the mission and vision of Smart Bangladesh. Targeting technological excellence will make education smarter. Blended education system can be a timely approach in implementing smart education. “ Dipu Moni presented the Bangladesh government's National Blended Educational Master Plan (2022-2031) and announced the creation of an Education Accelerator in Bangladesh. As a result, an accelerator was formed in the Ministry of Education and ICT and various private sectors. Suleman Khan, secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Division, delivered the welcome address on the occasion. Tanya Milberg, head of Education, Skills and Learning Division of World Economic Forum and Anir Chowdhury, policy advisor of a2i, presented the keynote speech of the event. Aspire to Innovate-a2i, implemented under the Cabinet Division and Information and Communication Technology Division and supported by UNDP, will continue various innovative activities with public-private and development partners to implement a smart blended education system in Bangladesh, the release added.  

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the education of children but at the same time it also created so many possibilities, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Tuesday. “Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the whole world has been affected, including us. It has had an impact on education. However, it will take time to fill in the learning loss or gap. It won't be filled in one or two academic years,” she said at a city hotel. “We have been able to engage 93 percent of the students in education through assignments during Covid-19. Due to the pandemic, our students have been able to learn by trying on their own. They learned to use technology.  There's a lot of potential, too,” she added. The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the release of a research report of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board in collaboration with the European Union on “Learning Loss”. The research was funded by the European Union and under the overall supervision of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board. The research was conducted on 18,838 primary students. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain spoke at the programme, among others. The education minister said, “The budget for education and human resources is close to 3 percent. It needs to be expanded. In the last year of the BNP-Jamaat regime in 2007, the budget of the whole country was Tk 60,000 crore. Now the budget for our education and human resource development is about Tk 90,000 crore.  The investment in that case  is very high.” “More money will be injected in the budget. It's a good curriculum now. We are working to recruit teachers and develop them.  Once the work we are doing now is completed, the budget will increase. I am saying that there will be a mega project in education,” she also said "We now want to set up more clubs in educational institutions. Why not a chess club, a science club, a debating club?” She asked. “Now there's a robotics club, and a lot of things are happening. Our students are doing well and we have to give them a little bit more.  We are trying to make the education recruitment process much better.  The better we can do for the social and physical safety of teachers. The further we can go,” said the minister.

The coronavirus pandemic has affected the education of children but at the same time it also created so many possibilities, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Tuesday. “Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the whole world has been affected, including us. It has had an impact on education. However, it will take time to fill in the learning loss or gap. It won't be filled in one or two academic years,” she said at a city hotel. “We have been able to engage 93 percent of the students in education through assignments during Covid-19. Due to the pandemic, our students have been able to learn by trying on their own. They learned to use technology.  There's a lot of potential, too,” she added. Read more: Postponed SSC exams to be held May 27, 28 The minister was speaking as the chief guest at the release of a research report of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board in collaboration with the European Union on “Learning Loss”. The research was funded by the European Union and under the overall supervision of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board. The research was conducted on 18,838 primary students. State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain spoke at the programme, among others. The education minister said, “The budget for education and human resources is close to 3 percent. It needs to be expanded. In the last year of the BNP-Jamaat regime in 2007, the budget of the whole country was Tk 60,000 crore. Now the budget for our education and human resource development is about Tk 90,000 crore.  The investment in that case  is very high.” Read more: SSC exams postponed for cyclone Mocha to be held after end of written tests: Dipu  “More money will be injected in the budget. It's a good curriculum now. We are working to recruit teachers and develop them.  Once the work we are doing now is completed, the budget will increase. I am saying that there will be a mega project in education,” she also said "We now want to set up more clubs in educational institutions. Why not a chess club, a science club, a debating club?” She asked. “Now there's a robotics club, and a lot of things are happening. Our students are doing well and we have to give them a little bit more.  We are trying to make the education recruitment process much better.  The better we can do for the social and physical safety of teachers. The further we can go,” said the minister.