Hasina backs public exams in Class-V, VIII
Ensure quality primary edn
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urges all concerned
UNB
Stressing the importance of modern primary education, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the people of all classes and professions, including teachers, public and private organisations, to work together for the development of the countrys education sector, reports UNB.
Children are future leaders. So, theres no alternative to making them as educated citizens, she said. The prime minister was inaugurating the National Primary Education Week-2017 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium organised by Primary and Mass Education Ministry. She said time-befitting quality primary education is needed to build educated human resources. Sheikh Hasina put emphasis
on learning the real history of the Liberation War and the struggle of the country for independence. Weve liberated our country through winning a war were a victorious nation, all will have to know the history our struggle and the Liberation Warchildren will gain the confidence when theyll know the accurate history, she said.
The Prime Minister also urged all to come forward with united efforts for keeping children and youths away from any sort of criminal activity. It has recently seen children and youths are involved in criminal activities, its better to provide them counseling and love than strict controlling to keep them away from these. Theyll have to understand that this path is not right for them, this path is bad for them, she said.
She also asked teachers to give special attention to their students so that the children and students stay away from criminal activities.
During the last eight years, Hasina said, the government established 1,500 primary schools in those areas where there was no school. She said her government nationalised 26,193 non-government primary schools in 2013 after 40 years of nationalisation of primary education by Bangabandhu.
The Prime Minister said her government is implementing a time-befitting education policy and distributed 36, 21, 82, 245 coloured books free of costs from primary to secondary level on January 1, 2017. Hasina said the children should be encouraged in sports and cultural activities along with education.
The government for this reason has been organising Bangabandhu Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournament since 2009 for the boys and Bangamata Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujibur Gold Cup Primary Football Tournament for the girls since 2010.
She said Student Council was established in primary schools in 2010 to flourish the leadership quality of the primary students, while Cub Scouting has been expanded to primary schools so that the students could play a constructive role in society. She said the literacy rate reached 65.5 percent from 45 percent within two years after her government assumed office in 1996 after 21 years following some pragmatic measures of the government for the development of education. As recognition of this success Bangladesh won UNESCO Literacy Award in 1998, she added.
But she said the literacy rate again fell down to 44 percent after BNP-Jamaat alliance took the state power in 2001. She mentioned that the literacy rate again increased to 71 percent following massive steps of the present government after assuming office in 2009.
Later, the Prime Minister distributed medals among 19 personalities for their outstanding contributions to expansion of primary education. She also distributed prizes among the winning students in different sports and cultural events.
Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman, acting secretary Asif-uz-Zaman and Department of Primary and Mass Education Director General Dr M Abu Hena Mostafa Kamal, among others, spoke at the programme.
BSS adds: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday opined for continuation of public examinations in Class-V and class-VIII saying those are playing crucial role in confidence building of students for secondary school certificate examination (SSC).
The main objective of introducing the new system in 2009 was to ensure equal opportunity to every student for learning, build up their confidence, remove fear in public examinations and give scholarship to students based on the results, she said.
But, suddenly I am observing some criticism on the issue and as a section of people came up with the suggestion to stop the examinations. But, their claim doesnt suit to the reality, the prime minister said. She added: previously a few number of students would have been selected for extra care from schools to prepare them for examination only for scholarship in Class-V and Class-VIII, and in that case other students were neglected.
