Technical education should be made demand-oriented: Education Minister

ছবিঃ সংগৃহীত

News Desk: Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon said that to transform the country’s vast population into skilled human resources, technical and vocational education must be modernized, made time-appropriate, and aligned with market demand. To achieve this goal, public-private partnerships need to be strengthened, strong connections between industry and academia must be established, and curricula and syllabuses should be updated.

He made these remarks as the chief guest at an exchange meeting with officials and employees of the Directorate of Technical Education on Wednesday (4 March) at 10:00 am in the directorate’s conference room. The meeting was chaired by Technical and Madrasa Education Division Secretary Muhammad Rafiqul Islam.

The minister said that various indicators and KPIs of technical education have been initially reviewed. However, the matters will be studied more deeply and necessary reform initiatives will be undertaken. He noted that there are certain weaknesses in public-private partnerships, coordination between industry and educational institutions, and the formulation of market-oriented curricula, which must be addressed promptly.

Urging officials and employees to work with creativity and initiative rather than waiting for ministry directives, he said each individual should determine what development initiatives are necessary within their respective departments, projects, and institutions.

He further stated that the Ministry of Education is one of the most important ministries, as it is responsible for developing the country’s human resources. Building skilled human resources for Bangladesh’s nearly 180 million people is a major responsibility. If the country’s large population can be properly transformed into skilled manpower, it can become a key driving force for economic and social development.

He emphasized that technical institutions, including vocational and polytechnic institutes, should focus more on practical and job-oriented training instead of excessive theoretical education. For this, proper review of curricula and training systems is necessary.

The education minister also informed that coordination with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and other relevant institutions will be strengthened to further expand opportunities for sending skilled manpower to the international labor market.

At the end of the meeting, he expressed hope that everyone would work sincerely and with dedication for the country’s development and human resource advancement.