1,500 more primary schools to be set up by 2013: Nahid

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CHITTAGONG, Mar 11 (BSS): Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said 1,500 more primary schools would be set up across the country to ensure education for all by 2013.
"In addition, one technical institute would be set up in each upazila to make the students self-reliant," the minister said adding that the students would also have scope to equally compete in a unified syllabus aimed at removing discriminations and ensuring standard of education.
He was addressing a discussion on education as chief guest at the city's Muslim Institute auditorium Thursday.
"We want to do something effective and time befitting for education sector for the greater interest of the nation irrespective of caste, creed and political affiliations," the minister said.
Keeping this in view, the education minister said, the present government was marching forward with a plan for ensuring school enrolment of all children by 2011, education of all children by 2013 and introduction of modern and quality education by 2014.
Organised by the Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Chittagong, the discussion was chaired by Board Chairman Prof Abu Jafar Chowdhury .
Secretary of the Chittagong Board Nurul Huda Sikder, Acting Deputy Commissioner Zakir Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner Khaled Mahmud Chowdhury, principals Fazlul Kader Chowdhury and Shekhor Dastider were, among others, present on the occasion.
Highlighting the present government's reform measures in education sector Nahid said the struggle for making the educational institutions and education ministry free from corruption had already begun.
"None would be spared if found involved in corruption and it would not be allowed to make educational institutions and education ministry as depot of corruption," the minister warned.
"We all want to be participatory and proactive in introducing a modern education system by checking unbridled corruption," Nahid said.
Terming the teachers as the backbone and heart of the nation, the education minister said that his ministry had been relentlessly struggling for ensuring a better social and economic status for the community of teachers.
The minister said, "The dropout after completion of primary education is 48 per cent and in secondary education it is 45 per cent and that is why technical education would be incorporated in syllabus so that the students could be imparted technical education before stepping into secondary education".
Nahid said that after the primary terminal examination, the junior school certificate examination for class eight was being introduced for the first time from this year and successful students would get certificate like SSC examinations.