Reforming the education system to reduce educated unemployment: Prime Minister

Citeing the inability to acquire skills in addition to formal education in the country as one of the reasons for the increase in the number of educated unemployed, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that the government has taken the initiative to reform the education curriculum from primary to higher levels to eliminate unemployment and survive in global competition. He said this while speaking as the chief guest at a workshop organized at the Nawab Nawab Ali Chowdhury Senate Building of Dhaka University on Tuesday (May 12). The workshop titled ‘Transformation of Higher Education in Bangladesh: A Roadmap for Sustainable Excellence’ was organized by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman said that it will probably not be possible to eliminate unemployment without work-oriented education with moral values. It is also not possible to survive in global competition without a timely education curriculum. That is why the current government has taken up the task of making the education curriculum timely. Regarding the connection between higher education and employment, he said that the current government is taking initiatives to increase apprenticeships, internships and industry-education collaboration to make the higher education system timely. Work is underway to establish relationships between universities and local businesses.
Seed funds or innovation grants are being provided to students to implement their innovative ideas, so that they can develop as entrepreneurs from the campus and create employment for others. He also announced plans to make technical and practical education mandatory not only from higher education but also from the school level. Referring to the fourth industrial revolution and technology, the Prime Minister said that technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, genetic engineering, quantum computing or big data are shrinking the conventional job market on the one hand and creating new employment opportunities on the other.
At this time, he gave examples of global companies like Uber, Facebook, Alibaba and Airbnb, saying that they do not have their own taxis, content, products or real estate. They are ruling the world with only a smart interface and innovative ideas. We have many talented people, it is not impossible for them to do something world-class if given the opportunity.
Recalling the anti-fascism and anti-dictatorship movement, Tarique Rahman said, a democratic state system and government have been established in the country for more than a decade and a half at the cost of thousands of lives. This government, which is accountable to the people, wants to start the work of building a knowledge-based and merit-based safe Bangladesh. Where merit, ability and creativity will be given utmost importance.
Calling for preserving national values ​​along with achieving technological excellence, he said, we will walk on the path to a prosperous future, but we must take care that the religious, social and moral values ​​of the present era of our state and society are not lost. In this regard, he called on people of all classes and professions, including teachers, intellectuals and journalists, to be alert and vigilant.