Formulate MPO enlistment policy, PM asks ministry

Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina asked Sunday the Education Ministry to formulate a specific policy for the enlistment of the schools and colleges under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) system, reports UNB.
"You have to formulate a policy for the MPO enlistment across the country," she said while addressing the high officials of the Education Ministry and its affiliated directorates, departments and organisations at Bangladesh Secretariat.
Sheikh Hasina said that the government always receives applications from the schools and colleges to enlist those under the MPO system. "You can evolve a new system for this purpose; you can think about a policy in this connection."
She mentioned that the MPO enlistment will have to take into consideration the number of students of an educational institution along with the number of teachers and the interest of the students in field of studies.
The PM said: "If needed, the government will provide all expenditures. Why shall we not bear the expenditure? This will be our investment."
She said that if there is no policy for the enlistment of the MPO it might happen that the less important place will have 10 MPO-listed educational institutions whereas the most important place would not get any enlistment as that particular place for lack of connection at the upper level.
 "We've to get out from this (present) system and formulate a policy.
Through this we'll be able to get rid of the pressure in the enlistment of an educational institution under MPO system."
She directed the Education Ministry to make sure that all children of the country are under the umbrella of education system and not a single person remains illiterate.
Hasina said that her government is working ceaselessly to ensure education for all, which has been guaranteed in the constitution.
At the same time, she underscored the need for selecting academic subjects for the students in consistence with their family profession, so that no traditional profession loses importance.
"An educated population is essential to achieve specific goals of a nation and also to ensure its desired development," she said adding that her government gives top priority to education and has been giving highest budgetary allocation to this sector.
The PM also stressed the introduction of time-befitting science-based education and said that desired development is simply impossible without the proper application of science.
In this context, she suggested introducing a new curriculum on oceanography following the country's huge gain in maritime boundary case against India and Myanmar.