Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milan on Wednesday said technical and vocational education must be modernised and aligned with market demand to turn the country’s large population into skilled human resources.
He emphasised strengthening public-private partnerships, building stronger industry-academia linkages and modernising curricula and syllabuses to meet global labour market demands.
The minister made the remarks while addressing an exchange meeting with officials and employees of the Directorate of Technical Education at its conference room in Dhaka.
Technical and Madrasa Education Division Secretary Muhammad Rafiqul Islam presided over the meeting.
During the meeting, Milan noted that while the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of technical education have undergone an initial review, deeper study is required to implement necessary reform activities. He identified existing weaknesses in PPPs, coordination between industries and educational institutions, and the formulation of market-driven curricula, urging that these gaps be addressed swiftly.
Addressing the officials, the minister called for a departure from traditional work methods, urging them to work with “new enthusiasm, stimulus, and speed”. He encouraged staff to take individual initiative and exercise creativity within their respective departments, projects, and institutions rather than waiting for ministerial instructions.
He further asserted that the Education Ministry holds a pivotal role in the nation’s development as it is responsible for creating human resources for nearly 180 million people. He stated that if this population is properly skilled, it will become the primary driver of Bangladesh’s economic and social progress.
To achieve this, he stressed that technical, vocational, and polytechnic institutes must prioritise practical and work-oriented training over excessive theoretical education. Milan also announced plans to strengthen coordination with the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment and other relevant bodies to expand opportunities for sending skilled manpower to the international labour market.
“While populations are declining in many developed nations, Bangladesh remains in a strong demographic position,” the Minister remarked, adding that turning this manpower into skilled resources would establish Bangladesh as a human-resource-rich nation globally.
He concluded by calling for collective efforts to realise the Prime Minister’s goal of employment generation through the technical education sector.
