PM says "Develop country's huge population as "human capital"

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today called upon all concerned to develop the country's huge population as "human capital" to expedite the pace of development as she assured of extending allout government support to this end.

"We are very successful in implementing 'Education for All' and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The pace of development would further be expedited, if the country's huge population could be developed as "human capital" by turning them into human resources," she said.

"From the government part, the door of our highest support and cooperation to your all work would remain open," she added.

The Prime Minister said this while addressing as the chief guest the inaugural function of the International Literacy Day-2015 at Osmani Memorial Auditorium here this morning.

Minister for Primary and Mass Education Mostafizur Rahman was the special guest at the function, while Head and Representative of UNESCO Dhaka Office Beatrice Kaldun spoke on the occasion.

Secretary of the Primary and Mass Education Ministry Mesbaul Alam presided over the function, while Director General of Non-Formal Education Bureau Dr Md Ruhul Amin Sarkar gave the vote of thanks.

Sheikh Hasina said the significance of literacy programme is to open up the eyes of all and literacy opens up the insight of the people, help create values and unfolds the spirit.

The Prime Minister said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman dreamt of building Sonar Bangla and used to believe that this goal is not possible without an educated nation.

"So immediately after independence, he took massive initiatives for making time-befitting the primary education of war-ravaged Bangladesh," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the Father of the Nation formed the Qudrat-e-Khuda Education Commission and as per its recommendation, he nationalized 36,165 primary schools and the job of 1,57,724 teachers.

"But after the assassination of Bangabandhu in 1975, other recommendations of the education commission were not executed and the campus witnessed severe anarchy," she said.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the Awami League government came to power again in 1996 after long 21 years and literacy rate increased to 65 percent at that time thanks to various pragmatic steps of her administration.

"Bangladesh got the UNESCO Literacy Award 1998 as recognition of its achievement in spreading literacy in the country," she said.



Sheikh Hasina said literacy rate normally increases in all countries with the passing of time. "But in our country, it came down to 44 percent from 65 percent during the five-year misrule of the BNP-Jamaat government in 2001-2006," she regretted.

The Prime Minister said after taking office by the BNP-Jamaat government in 2001, the World Bank allocated Taka 1250 crore in the Non-Formal Education Project. But the programme was stopped later due to corruption, she said.

She added that her government resumed the programme after assuming the office in 2009. As a result, she said, the literacy rate has now been increased to 71 percent.

The Prime Minister mentioned that the Father of the Nation made the primary education (Class I to Class V) free and mandatory for all. "After the Bangabandhu government, our government nationalised 26,193 non-government primary schools and job of 1,03,845 teachers of these schools," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her government adopted the National Work Plan for attaining the target of the millennium development goals (MDGs) and "Education for All".

She said there was an announcement for ensuring Education for All by 2015, but the government ensured 100 percent enrolment of children eligible for going to school by 2011.

"Like every year, we distributed 32,63,47,923 textbooks free of cost in the beginning of this year. Besides, we have identified the reasons for dropout of the primary students and introduced stipend under the social safety net programme to check dropout," she said.

The Prime Minister said her government also introduced the mid-day meal for primary students to prevent dropout and local people have been engaged in the programme. As a result, she said, the dropout rate has been reduced to 20.09 percent from 80 percent in the 80s.

In this connection, she urged the local public representatives including MPs, mayors, upazila and union parishad chairmen and members alongside the well-off section of the society to voluntarily introduce mid-day meals at the schools situated in their respective areas to further reduce dropout of students.

She said that a fund could be created and operated by each school management committee in association with the guardians where donations could be received to operate mid-day meals be it cooked foods, fruits or other items. "Such initiative would make the mid-day meal programme sustainable," she said. Regarding admission of the students to class one, Sheikh Hasina said that whenever any child turns to the age of getting admitted to class one, he or she should have to get admitted and there is no need for appearing before test with printed question paper. "This is his or her right and it's not a matter of giving test with printed question papers," she said.

Underscoring the need for having area-based schools, she also directed the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education to repair and improve the conditions of the countywide primary schools and make necessary arrangement so that the children could get scope for admission to the schools of their respective areas directly.

Sheikh Hasina said that there is no objection if the children of elite class pursues study in expensive schools, but it has to be ensured that the children of the common people could study in the government primary schools for which there is also need for improving those conditions.

She also suggested ensuring arrangement for accommodation at the schools located in the hilly and char areas.

Later, the Prime Minister enjoyed a cultural function performed by schoolchildren.