Clicky
National, Back Page

Budget for Higher education

Increased allocation stressed to achieve SDG


Bangladeshpost
Published : 30 Jun 2019 08:23 PM | Updated : 02 Sep 2020 10:46 PM

DU Correspondent

Former governor of Bangladesh Bank also professor of Dhaka University (DU) development studies department Dr Atiur Rahman on Sunday in a seminar said that budgetary allocation for Higher education as well as education sector should be increased to achieve the goals of Sustainable development Goals (SDG).
He also said that ensuring quality education and removing unemployment problem are two goals of SDG the both will not be possible without ensuring enough budget for higher education and making skilled manpower and graduate.

He came up with the remarks while speaking in a seminar titled “Post-Budget seminar 2019 focusing on Higher Education” jointly organised by the Centre on budget and Policy of DU and Reading Club Trust at the conference room of Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Bhaban of DU campus. Dr Atiur also said, “In the last 10 years, the rise of allocation has been hovering around 10-12 percent, the ratio of education budget to the GDP been hovering around two percent over the last 15 years, which is lower than many other Asian countries where India allocate 4 per cent of GDP and Nepal 3.7 per cent.”

“Through this budget this government indicate to ensure the employment of three crore people by the year of 2030 but it would not possible without making skilled manpower and skilled graduate as the country is losing a huge amount of money--$5 billion-- every year in paying salaries to foreign employees, around 400,000 foreign nationals”, he added. DU vice-chancellor Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman in his inaugurating speech called upon to ensure quality education that need more budgetary allocation in order to achieve the goals of SDG.

While addressing as the keynote speaker director of the Centre on Budget and Policy of DU Dr M Abu Eusuf said, “education should be knowledge centric not only exam centric. SDG 04 aims to ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university”.

"Allocation for the public universities should be made in consultation with the academic departments and student’s welfare in terms of residence, food and library facilities must be emphasized in budget planning", he added. He also said, “To ensure graduate employability we have to ensure alignment and modernization of curriculum and links for market linkage for practical training and internship, while maintaining academic autonomy.”

“Bangladesh should invest more in education, especially in the quality, if it wanted to change its future and to achieve the goals of SDG and the goals set in the National Education Policy 2010 and Vision 2021”, he added. Chairmen of Centre on Budget and Policy also treasurer of DU Prof Dr Md Kamal Uddin presided over the seminar while DU teachers Association president Prof Dr ASM Maksud Kamal was present as designated discussant.