T(caps)he
Standing Committee on Planning has recommended MPO enrolment and
nationalization of quality schools. The committee feels that those (schools)
who have been allowed to teach should be enrolled in MPO without waiting for a
few years.
Schools
that are qualified have to be governmentised and withdrawn from the dual
system. In addition, a coordinated plan has to be taken to develop in which
sectors in the next 10 years to introduce a realistic education system. In this
regard, it has been recommended to focus on technical education to eradicate
unemployment in the country.
This
information was revealed in the working paper of the recent standing committee
meeting at the National Assembly Secretariat. The meeting was chaired by
committee chairman Jamalpur-1 seat MP Abul Kalam Azad and other members
addressed it.
At
the meeting, committee member and planning minister M A Mannan said that some
qualified schools should be included in MPO as far as possible with the budget
money that survives. He said those allowed to teach should be enrolled in MPO
without waiting for a few years. Schools that are qualified have to be
governmentised and withdrawn from the dual system. He also directed the
Education Secretary to hold an emergency meeting with all Project Directors
(PDs) soon in view of the recommendations of the Committee to speed up the
implementation of the project.
The
planning minister also said Sheikh Hasina insisted on strengthening the IMED at
the cabinet meeting, the executive committee meeting of the National Economic
Committee. Due to lack of IMED manpower, it is not possible to sit in Dhaka and
see 1,800 projects. There was a proposal to open one office each in each
department.
If
suitable quality officers can be appointed there, they will be able to monitor
the projects of that department immediately. The Prime Minister immediately
approved. There's a resolution, it's an order. When work was started on this,
there were many obstacles. The order is still there. Efforts are still being
made to work on that.
Committee
member Saber Hossain Chowdhury said Bangladesh ranks 155th out of 161 countries
allocated to education sector. Bangladesh has the lowest allocation for
education among South Asia. He questioned whether the Standing Committee could
provide any assistance on the allocation of education sector. The future of
modern developed Bangladesh will depend on how future generations are now being
created. But basic weakness is the lack of ability.
He
wants to know if there are any recommendations of the Department of
Implementation Inspection and Evaluation (IMED) in this regard. The more
educated the country, the higher the unemployment rate.
A
simulation of the demands has to be done. For the next 10 years, the education
system has to be simulated with where Bangladesh wants to see itself and which
sectors need a graduate for it. Bangladesh is going to create a model citizen
in the education system, graduates from the respective disciplines should be
created in line with the roadmap for the economy.
Saber
Hossain also told the meeting that it has been heard for a long time that IMED
will be strengthened. I want to see that no model of strengthening is visible
on the ground till date. According to the reports received by IMED, there is no
example of action taken against any PD or any contracting company. Have they
not done the work they are supposed to do according to their standards, any
action has been taken against the PD and the contracting company? He puts the
question.
Expressing
anger, he said that if the highest utility is not taken from the reports that
are being submitted by working hard, merit, then only the report will not help.
In addition, no grading is done to those who are competent PDs in the
implementation of the project. It should be kept in the evaluation whether one
will be given the responsibility in the future keeping in mind what the
performance is. He wants to know how much is being done and what the plan is.
Dr.
Shamsul Alam, a member of the then Planning Commission, who recently took over
as minister of state for planning at the meeting, said 40 per cent of the
budget is development expenditure. The civil society or think tank or the
common man makes major allegations of implementing the development expenditure
scheme. Many visits to the project have increased, increasing the efficiency of
implementing the main problem.
He
said the unemployment problem in the country is strong. Till the age of 30, 29%
have not had adequate education, training, jobs. Can't use them. Manpower has
to be appointed by verification. Otherwise, there will be problems in
implementing the project. The ministry does not inform the IMED about the steps
taken by the ministry after reporting it from IMED to the ministry, which also
needs to be improved.
Major
(Retd) Rafiqul Islam, another member of the committee, said that in order to
ensure the highest quality of university education, appropriate initiatives
should be taken to provide modern equipment to laboratories as well as to
create and train teachers and officials in a research-assisted environment.
There are many ministries, they cannot spend what is allocated in the budget.
There is a ministry, it gets less allocation than what is required. The
education ministry also could not spend what it had received.
He
said flags are not being hoisted in many educational institutions. Action has
to be taken against it if not only madrassas but any school and college does
not ensure proper use of it.
He
added that some teachers have been harming educational institutions over the
ages with the chairman and members of their preferred managing committee. This
method of managing committee needs to be changed in both schools and colleges.
The issue of MPO enrolment has to be looked into very seriously. Other
institutions, including educational institutions, have to improve rural areas
not only in municipal areas but also through a balanced distribution.
Otherwise, poverty will not be removed from rural areas, jobs will not be
created.
