Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon has instructed authorities to strengthen monitoring of teachers’ responsibilities at colleges affiliated with the National University to ensure quality education.
He said the National University manages a significant portion of the country’s higher education system and improving the quality of education at the university and its affiliated colleges would bring positive changes to the overall education sector.
The minister made the remarks as the chief guest at an event held at the International Mother Language Institute auditorium in Segunbagicha of Dhaka on Tuesday.
The event was organised to distribute awards and scholarships among meritorious students.
He directed authorities to ensure regular inspections of colleges, assess education quality and conduct audits of income and expenditure.
The minister called for effective monitoring of academic activities, including what type of education is being provided, what students are being taught and whether the curriculum is up to date.
He said skill-based curricula should be developed considering students’ future employment opportunities and professional skills.
“Many students are talented, but their potential cannot be fully developed due to a lack of proper guidance,” he said.
He also stressed the need for teacher training, particularly to improve teachers’ skills and accountability in evaluating examination scripts.
The minister urged the National University to submit proper proposals for renovating laboratories at affiliated colleges, saying budget constraints would not stand in the way of implementing necessary initiatives for improving education.
He said the government would positively consider any effective and practical proposal.
Emphasising the need to transform the National University into a skilled and quality institution like leading universities worldwide, Milon said the university is one of the largest in the world but requires more effective measures to bring education standards to the desired level.
He called for reforms in the examination system, expansion of online management systems and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) to turn the National University into a model institution. He also stressed strict control over professional examinations, including law examinations, and exemplary punishment for those involved in unfair practices.
He said Bangladesh must move from the back to the front in global rankings and that this would require swift and effective measures.
“Recognition of meritorious students increases their confidence, while scholarships help disadvantaged students continue their education,” he said, adding that such initiatives play an important role in developing human resources.
At the event, 57 students who achieved outstanding results at different levels of the university received the ‘Vice-Chancellor Award’.
Scholarships were also provided to 4,921 students, including those with special needs, financially disadvantaged students, marginalised and underprivileged students, as well as talented students injured during the July Uprising and family members of those killed.
The event was chaired by National University Vice-Chancellor ASM Amanullah. Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Abdul Khaleque attended as the special guest.
The Vice-Chancellor Awards were given to 57 students from 37 colleges who achieved the best results in undergraduate (pass), honours and postgraduate programmes consecutively for six years from 2018 to 2023.
Each award recipient received a certificate, a crest and Tk 25,000 as financial support. A total of Tk 14.25 lakh was distributed under the award programme.
For 2024 and 2025, scholarships were provided to 4,921 students from 1,525 selected colleges.
Among them were students with special needs, financially disadvantaged students, marginalised and underprivileged students, as well as talented students injured during the July uprising and family members of those killed.
For 2025, 2,897 students from 830 selected colleges received Tk 6,000 each, with a total allocation of Tk 1.73 crore.
For 2024, 2,024 students from 725 selected colleges received Tk 6,000 each, with a total allocation of Tk 1.21 crore.
Abdul Khaleque said effective use of multimedia classrooms is essential to ensure modern and technology-based education.
However, he said many educational institutions are unable to operate these classrooms properly due to power shortages and other challenges.
To address the issue, solar power systems are being installed at educational institutions, and multimedia classroom activities will be made more effective in the future, he added.
Amanullah said recognising talented students is a responsibility of the university, while supporting students facing financial and social barriers is also a moral responsibility.
He said the university is working to prepare students for the future by developing their talent, skills and human values.
Highlighting recent reform initiatives, he said the National University has reached a stable position after overcoming various challenges and obstacles, and improving the quality of education is now its main priority.
He said the university has already introduced third-language learning programmes for students.
He added that the National University has signed memorandums of understanding with 150 domestic and foreign educational institutions and international organisations to develop students’ skills to face global challenges.
National University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Lutfor Rahman delivered the welcome speech at the event.
National University Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Ali Jinnah, Treasurer Professor Md Nazmul Hossain and Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmood Sohel, among others, also spoke.
A documentary highlighting the National University’s activities and future plans was screened at the event.
Guests, deans of different faculties, department chairmen, directors of various offices, teachers, officials and employees of the university were present.
