Each district to get at least one varsity: PM

Staff Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government will establish at least one university in every district under private or public initiative to ensure higher education for all.

She was speaking at a function after Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid formally handed over to her the results of the HSC and equivalent examinations of 2014 at her official Ganobhaban residence on Wednesday morning.

Congratulating the students who came out successful in this year`s HSC examinations, the Prime Minister suggested the unsuccessful students to study hard so that they become successful in future.

The pass rate this year is 78.33 percent with 70,602 examinees securing GPA-5 while the pass rate was 74.30 percent last year. Hundred percent students passed in 1,147 institutions as against 849 last year.


This year, the girls outshone boys at the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations in terms of pass rate.
 
Boys, however, have done better this year in terms of GPA-5 achievers. A total of 38,787 boys received the distinction as against 31,815 girls.
 
The pass percentage of female examinees is 78.86 and of male students 77.86.
 
The overall pass rate in this year’s HSC and equivalent examinations rose by 4.03 percentage points this year with 78.33 percent passing the exams held under 10 education boards.

Taking a swipe at those who criticize the current standard of education in the country, the standard of education would increase in the usual course and none would be able to hinder this.

“Standard of education will enhance in usual course as we`ve been imparting training to the teachers while the method of education is being changed. Standard will surely enhance and none would be able to hinder this,” she said.

In this connection, the Prime Minister illustrated different steps for further development of education and said her government is taking the country towards light from the era of darkness. And that light is the "light of education," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said without education, a nation can never hope for prosperity. "We want to build a poverty-free Bangladesh and education is the main key to achieving that goal," she said, adding that only an educated nation could ensure development of any country.

Sheikh Hasina said priority has been given on information technology and vocational education in the new education policy and directives have also been given to the concerned authorities to start providing vocational education from class eight.

The present government has also introduced multimedia class room, while computers are being provided to the student at low cost side by side with reaching the internet facilities up to village level, she said and hoped that the students in near future might use a net book instead of carrying a bag loaded with books.

PM`s Principal Secretary Abdus Sobhan Sikder, Waresat Hossain Belal MP, Education Secretary Dr Mohammad Sadiq, PM`s Press Secretary AKM Shamim Chowdhury, chairmen of all education boards, and officials of the Department of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education were present in the occasion.
 
risingbd/DHAKA/Aug 13, 2014/Augustin Sujan