Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni Monday said technical education will be made compulsory for the students at schools and madrasas by 2021 aiming to build skilled manpower.
“Technical education is going to be introduced in 640 schools next year. Technical education will be made compulsory for the students at schools and madrasas by 2021,” she said while addressing a discussion in Dhaka.
The National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) under the Prime Minister’s Office arranged the discussion, marking the World Youth Skills Day-2019.
Expatriates’ Welfare and Oversees Employment Minister Imran Ahmed spoke at the programme as special guest.
Sajjad Hassan, Secretary of Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), presided over the discussion while Faruque Hossain, NSDA Executive Chairman, delivered welcome address.
Speaking as the chief guest, Dipu Moni said preliminary idea about technical education will be disseminated among the students of class six to eight and a subject on technical education will be introduced in class nine and ten.
She said about 22 lakh people have been entering labour market in the country every year, but it is short of skilled manpower.
As most of the people, who enter the labour market, are unskilled, the country’s productivity is getting hampered, Dipu Moni said.
She said the standard of the country’s labour force is scarcely recognised both at home and abroad and that is why the government is working to make the huge unskilled population of the country skilled.
The education minister said the government sets a target of creating employment opportunities for 1.5 crore youths by 2023.
“To attain the target, the National Skills Development Authority (NSDA) has been formed,” she added.
Speaking at the discussion, Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister Imran Ahmed said the youth community including its educated segment is demanding for employment opportunity.
The education they acquire do not come into use if they do not earn any special skill, he said, adding workers do not get due remuneration while working abroad if they are not skilled.
Referring a quote of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ‘Build Golden Bangla by Building Golden People,’ Faruque Hossain said, ‘Those who are honest, morally strong, dedicated, welfare-oriented, and patriotic and can build themselves as well as the country, are golden people.
Bangladesh has taken steps for timely and fundamental transformation in technical and vocational training programmes focusing on three issues – youth community, technical and vocational education and skills training.
A lion’s share of population is youth community and if the country can make them skilled then it would be possible to build a golden Bangladesh as dreamt by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has given priority on this issue and for this it is a prime need to make all awake through mass campaign.
NSDA is working to coordinate, strengthen skills training through setting standards, assessment and certification at national and international levels, recognition to prior learning, industry linkage, train trainers and ensure acceptability of certificates at local and global level.
Sajjadul Hassan said, Bangladesh is now at the growth trajectory under the leadership of prime minister and for this she has been well recognized globally. The country has attained tremendous development during last ten years, he added.
Two candidates selected through nation-wide Rising Star Competition for participating at WorldSKills Competition in Kazan, Russia in August next were rewarded crests and certificates at the event. The theme song for WorldSkills Competition was also launched at the programme. The programme was concluded with a colourful ghamvira. Earlier, in the morning, a rally was brought out from the South Plaza of the National Parliament led by education minister.