Social Welfare Minister Dr AZM Zahid Hossain today said the present government is carrying forward the legacy of an education-friendly government and is working to improve the quality of education, focusing not only on the education system, teachers or students, but also on overall educational standards.
He made the remarks while speaking as the chief guest at a triennial conference and reception ceremony of the district teachers’ association at the Town Hall Auditorium in Mymensingh city.
The minister said he had attended receptions for many eminent teachers in the past, but the responsible conduct displayed at this year’s reception for distinguished teachers reflected a qualitative change in the education sector.
Criticizing the previous government, he said books should help people preserve history rather than make them forget it.
He alleged that, in the past, deliberate and carefully planned efforts had been made through the curriculum and textbooks to make people forget the history of Bangladesh.
Emphasizing the importance of the curriculum, he said the present and future generations should understand the significance of 1971, as well as the events of 1947, 1952, 1962 and 1969 before the Liberation War, and those of 1971, 1975, 1990 and 2024.
All these events together constitute Bangladesh, he said, adding that none could be compared with another. However, the greatest source of pride among them is the Great War of Liberation of 1971.
Dr Zahid, also, BNP Standing Committee member, said the current education system was failing to deliver the expected results despite the existence of so many colleges, schools, kindergartens and pre-cadet institutions.
He questioned why the nation was not receiving the expected standard of education, why the quality of education was being questioned and why the desired goals remained unattained, stressing that these issues required serious consideration.
Regarding the nationalization of non-government teachers’ jobs and their other demands, the minister said the government agreed with every demand put forward by teachers.
He said the Prime Minister was giving considerable thought to their concerns.
The minister said teachers were seeking government service status, inclusion under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme and nationalization, but the government wanted to honour them in a better way. Teachers should be the most responsible people in cities, villages, unions and wards, he added.
He described honouring teachers as a major responsibility and duty, saying the nation wanted to recognize their contributions with profound respect. However, he added, the nation’s expectations from teachers were high. Teachers were not merely the backbone of the nation but also the architects of the Bangladesh of tomorrow, he said.
Highlighting teachers’ role in building the future Bangladesh, the minister said teachers could be the architects of social change. Society would change if people received proper advice from them, he said. .
He said teachers could play the most effective role in preventing child marriage in Bangladesh, adding that they were a major means of raising social awareness to eliminate the social scourge.
Professor Sheikh Amzad Ali, joint convener of Mymensingh Metropolitan BNP and a teachers’ leader, chaired the programme. Selim Bhuiyan, chairman of the Teachers-Employees Unity Alliance and president of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education, delivered the keynote address.
Zakir Hossain, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Teachers’ Association, also spoke.
Special guests included Fakhruddin Ahmed Bacchu, MP, Akhtaruzzaman Bacchu, MP, Mymensingh Development Authority Chairman Motahar Hossain Talukdar; and Professor AKM Shafiqul Islam, convener of Mymensingh Metropolitan BNP, along with other BNP and teachers’ leaders.
Speaking about the nationalization of teachers’ jobs, Selim Bhuiyan, MP, said the quality of education could not be improved by keeping teachers hungry. Recognizing this reality, the late Begum Khaleda Zia had said that her party would nationalize the jobs of non-government teachers if it came to power, he said.
He expressed hope that the incumbent Prime Minister would consider teachers’ demands and take effective steps to address them.
