UNB, Dhaka :
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday underscored the need for constituting a separate commission to recruit qualified teachers to primary schools as the government has decided to upgrade the posts of the teachers, including that of the head teachers.
The Prime Minister came up with the view in her introductory speech at a programme of the high officials of Primary and Mass Education Ministry at the Secretariat.
Sheikh Hasina said, there might be a separate wing under the commission to monitor the recruitment of teachers.
“Education is the key to development and poverty alleviation as the primary education is the base of all types of education,” she said adding that her government considering the matter is putting emphasis on recruiting qualified teachers and imparting training to them.
The Prime Minister said the government has taken necessary steps to remove all sorts of salary discriminations through a new pay commission.
Considering the importance of primary education, Hasina said, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman nationalised over 36,000 primary schools along with the services of teachers and staff.
She said, her government during its 2009-2013 term for the second time in country’s history nationalised over 26,200 primary schools along with the services of over 1 lakh 4 thousand teachers.
Due to the government initiative, she said, the enrolment rate in primary schools increased to almost cent percent and the dropout rate came down to 20.4 percent in 2013 from 50.5 percent in 2005.
Mentioning various steps of her government for the development of education, Sheikh Hasina said the present government is providing free textbooks up to secondary level to reduce the burden of parents.
“In order to attract the students and guardians to educational institutes, over 1.20 crore students are being given stipends from primary to degree levels, while midday meal has also been introduced to check the dropout rate. The parents of poor students are being given cash incentives,” she added.
Hasina laid emphasis on the introduction of midday meal programme through incorporating local administration, guardians, teachers and school management committees.
“Apart from taking massive steps for improving the standard of education, her government has formulated a national education policy in 2010 in consultation with all stake holders,” the Prime Minister said.
The new education policy made religious education mandatory and kept a provision to extend primary education up to class VIII. A student after passing class VIII could choose his or her future education, she added.
Hasina said her government has introduced preprimary education in cent percent government primary schools from 2013I, aiming to ensure the physical, mental, intellectual, linguistic and social flourishment of children.
The Prime Minister instructed the Primary and Mass Education Ministry to take steps for providing education to children in the daycare center inside the secretariat building which she had established.
Laying emphasis on games and sports for physical and mental development of children as well as creating a competitive atmosphere, the Prime Minister said her government introduced various inter-school sports competition across the country.
In this connection she mentioned her government introduced the Bangabandhu Gold Cup and Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup with the participation of the students of all primary students across the country. Besides, sports and cultural competitions are being held in all primary schools from 2011, she added.
