Govt puts top priority on quality education : PM

The status of government primary school headmasters has been upgraded to grade II from grade III, announced Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday, reports UNB.
"We've upgraded the status of headmasters of government primary schools to grade II from grade III," she announced amid clapping from the audience while inaugurating the National Primary Education Week-2014 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium.
Chaired by Primary and Mass Education Minister Mostafizur Rahman, the function was also addressed by secretary of the ministry Kazi Akhter Hossain and director general of Primary Education Shyamol Kanti Ghosh.
Sheikh Hasina said that her government has set the target of extending free primary education up to class eight and making it mandatory for all children in light with her party's election pledges.

Terming the children as invaluable assets of the nation, she said that the government is putting the highest priority on ensuring quality education for them, and will do whatever necessary in this regard.
To continue the stipend programmes for female education is another election pledge of the government, Hasina said adding that it has approved a project for implementing the non-formal education programme for elderly people to achieve the cent per cent literacy target.
The Prime Minister said primary education is the main ladder of education and it is the sacred duty of all to ensure education for all children, as without this the desired development of a nation is not possible.
Soon after the country's independence, Hasina mentioned, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had nationalised the primary education to build a modern and desired future for an independent nation.
Bangabandhu took the country towards its first step of advancement in education sector through nationalising 36,165 primary schools and services of 1,57,724 teachers, she told her audience.
The Prime Minister said Awami League, whenever was in power, it gave the top priority to education following the footprints of Bangabandhu.
In this regard, she mentioned that her government formulated a production-oriented, science-based and time-befitting education policy and had nationalised over 26,000 primary schools, including the services of about 1.04 lakh teachers, during its immediate past term.
The government has set up new schools where there were no schools, increased classrooms and the number of stipends, and also constructed infrastructures, including setting up of new Primary Teachers' Training Institutes.
In order to raise the standard of education, she said, Primary School Certificate and Junior School Certificate Terminal examinations are being held with common question papers across the country.
As a result, she said, all the students are getting extra care and encouragement for pursuing their studies and building up a mentality of competition in tender age.
Hasina also mentioned that to infuse dynamism in the primary education, the government reduced the ratio of student and teachers in the classrooms.
Besides, the PM said, the government is providing free textbooks up to secondary level students on the first day of the year and almost cent percent enrolment in Primary schools were ensured.
She said a total of 7.9 million primary students, 0.4 million secondary level students and 0.13 million students from higher secondary to degree level are getting government stipends.
Prime Minister's Education Assistance Trust Fund has been constituted with Tk 10 billion (1,000 crore) seed money to help the poor and meritorious students to continue their studies.
Besides, locally managed midday meal has been introduced in some schools which would be expanded to all schools in phases, she added.
Hasina directed the authorities concerned, including the teachers, to ensure a strong foundation for primary education.
She mentioned that the scope for online reading of books has been created through converting all books from primary to secondary levels into e-books while multimedia classrooms and ICT labs were established and teachers being imparted training in this regard.
Besides, the PM said, Bangabandhu Gold Cup and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Gold Cup Primary School Football Tournaments are being held every year for flourishing the students physically and mentally as well as to create unity and competitive atmosphere.
Inter-Primary sports and cultural competitions are also being arranged from 2011 and initiatives were taken from 2010 to establish student council in every school for flourishing the leadership of children, she said.
Later, the Prime Minister distributed medals among the officials, teachers, schools and public representatives for their outstanding contribution to the promotion of primary education at national, divisional, district and upazila level for 2012 and 2013 years.
She also distributed medals among the students for their excellence in extracurricular activities including in sports, recitation, extempore speech, painting, music, acting and hand writing at national level.