Dipu Moni
Decision on educational institutions after meeting with NTAC: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dipu Moni on Saturday said the decision on how to deal with educational institutions amid the Covid-19 surge will be taken after the ministry’s meeting with the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 on Sunday.
The government formed the 17-member national technical advisory committee with independent experts and government representatives in April, 2020 to recommend measures to tackle the pandemic in the country.
“The government, however, doesn’t want to shut the educational institutions now,” she said while talking to reporters after attending the silver jubilee programme of Dhaka Imperial College.
Schools to get over 95% textbooks by Dec 31: Minister
Education Minister Dipu Moni on Thursday said more than 95 per cent textbooks will reach primary and secondary schools across the country by December 31.
“The remaining books will be delivered by January 7. Students will get their textbooks in time,” Dipu Moni said while visiting a printing press at Matuail in the capital.
Dipu Moni said the binding of over 17 crore textbooks has already been completed but some might remain incomplete. “However, we’ll be able to distribute those among students in the first week of January.”
However, it is not possible to arrange any ‘textbook festival’ this time too due to the pandemic, said the minister, adding that these textbooks will be distributed in classrooms.
Secondary school admissions: Lottery system for all classes, says Dipu Moni
A digital lottery will be held in all government and private secondary schools of the country for all classes to stop the ‘admission battle’ and lobbying, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday.
She said, “I want the system to get out of this kind of admission war. I want the students to get out of the negative practices and come to the positive.”
The minister said this while inaugurating the digital lottery at the National Academy for Educational Management (NAEM) in the capital on Sunday.
Dipu said, "Children face a lot of stress while competing for the admission tests. An unhealthy competition can be seen as illegal issues get included.”
Read: SSC, HSC’s 2022 exams likely in mid-year: Dipu Moni
She said, "What we used to see in terms of admissions is the admission battle of parents and children,"
The minister also said the children who will be admitted in class one are being forced to memorize everything beyond their capacity and the parents are also memorizing with them.
Meanwhile, all the meritorious students with the highest marks are studying in one school. Quality education will be ensured if there are students of different merit together in every school, the minister added.
She said, "If students have to get higher marks after studying everything for admission, then what is the achievement of the school?”
Read: Maintain health protocols to keep HSC exams undisturbed: Dipu Moni
“We’ve received positive responses from most places since last year's lottery as this system has created opportunities for establishing equality,” she said.
Earlier, a digital lottery was held on December 15 to select students for admission in government secondary schools.
Last year, a lottery was held in the metropolis. This time, the lottery was held at district level. In future, all the institutions will come under lottery system for admission, said the minister.
Next year’s public exams won’t be held as per schedule: Dipu Moni
There is no scope to hold the public examinations in the next year as per schedule, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Tuesday.
“It is not possible to hold the public examinations of 2022 in time but the delay will not be like that of this year’s SSC examinations,” she said.
“Measures will be taken to make up the losses caused by delay in holding the SSC examinations and the students will not face any problem,” she added.
Also read: Students to get new textbooks in time next year: Dipu Moni
The Education Minister came up with the information while replying to a question from local journalists when visiting Chandpur Hasan Ali Government High School exam center on Tuesday.
The much-awaited Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations began in the country on Sunday, maintaining health protocols.
Usually, the SSC examinations are held in February but this year the exams were delayed due to the pandemic.
Regarding vaccination of students she said, “The Health Ministry is trying to vaccinate all the HSC examinees. Though we don’t have sufficient infrastructures in every district to continue the inoculation drive with Pfizer vaccine but the authorities concerned are trying their level best.”
A campaign to vaccinate school students, aged 12-17, against Covid-19 kicked off at 12 centers in Dhaka on November 1.
Also read: Still unsure about dropped out students’ number: Dipu Moni
Some 40,000 students will be vaccinated every day under the campaign.
However, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the officials concerned to increase the number of centres across the country under this campaign.
4,150 posts of teachers in public universities vacant: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dipu Moni on Monday told Parliament that some 4,150 posts of teachers are vacant in 43 public universities of the country.
The Minister placed the statistics in the House replying to a tabled question from Awami League MP Didarul Alam (Chattogram-4).
The highest 410 posts of teachers are vacant in Chittagong University, 346 vacant in Rajshahi University, 314 vacant in Shahjalal Science and Technology University, 310 in Islamic University in Kushtia and 303 in Dhaka University.
READ: Students to get new textbooks in time next year: Dipu Moni
Besides, there are 242 vacant posts of teachers in Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP), 213 vacant posts in Patuakhali Science and Technology University, 151 in Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, 150 in Khulna University of Engineering and Technology, 131 in Chattogram University of Science and Technology, 127 vacant posts in Jahangirnagar University, 114 in Bangladesh Agricultural University and 106 vacant posts in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agriculture University.
Strict action against whoever spreads rumours of question leaks: Education Minister
Strict action will be taken against whoever spreads rumours of SSC question papers being leaked or tries to harm the students by leaking question papers, Education Minister Dipu Moni said Sunday.
The minister said, "There is no chance of leaking the question paper again. However, if there is an attempt to spread rumours, which there will be - no one should pay any heed to it.”
She made the remarks while inspecting the exam centre of Motijheel Government Boys’ High School on the first day of the SSC examinations.
The education minister told reporters that arrangements have been made to take the test in compliance with health safety.
“The problem is that there are big crowds outside where the parents are standing. Maybe they are not following the hygiene rules there. We have requested before, I request again, wherever you are outside, do not crowd or gather,” Dipu Moni requested.
Read: SSC, HSC exams either in Nov or Dec next: Education Minister
Deputy Minister for Education Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education Director General Professor Dr Syed Golam Faruk and chairman of the Dhaka Education Board and chairman of the Inter-Education Board Coordination Subcommittee Nehal Ahmed, among others, were present on the occasion.
After nine months, the much-awaited Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations began on Sunday.
This year, a total of 22,43,254 candidates are taking part under all the education boards (11 boards). Of which 10,36,188 are male students and 12,07,066 are female students.
Some 3,679 centers have been set up for the exams across the country.
Besides, 429 students are taking part in the examinations from abroad.
Dipu Moni elected to UNESCO education committee
Education Minister Dipu Moni has been elected as a member of the UNESCO-led SDG4-Education Steering Committee in the Asia-Pacific region.
Her election came at a session of the 2021 Global Education Meeting held at UNESCO headquarters on Wednesday, said MA Khayer, the Education Ministry PRO.
Read: Still unsure about dropped out students’ number: Dipu Moni
The high-level steering committee has been formed to strengthen the activities of the member countries in achieving SDG-4.
Two members have been elected in the committee from each region of the globe.
Dipu Moni has thanked all for electing her a member of the committee.
Read: Nearly 240 mn children with disabilities around world: UNICEF
Students to get new textbooks in time next year: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dipu Moni on Saturday said students are expected to receive their new textbooks in time next year.
“We’re cautious about errors in printing. Steps will be taken to fix errors if found after printing,” she said.
The minister said this while talking to local reporters after attending the inauguration programme of Sadar Upazila Freedom Fighter Complex in Baburhat area of Chandpur.
The Textbook Festival, marking the distribution of free textbooks among school and madrasa students, was not held on January 1 this year unlike previous years due to the Covid-19 pandemic and students did not get textbooks in time due to delay in printing caused by the pandemic.
Also read: Still unsure about dropped out students’ number: Dipu Moni
The government launched the Textbook Festival in 2009 by distributing textbooks among students across the country as a gift for the New Year.
School and college students in Bangladesh returned to their classrooms on September 11 after a prolonged closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The government had shut the educational institutions on March 17, 2020, after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8, 2020 and later the closure was extended several times.
Also read: Vaccination campaign for school children kicks off in Dhaka centres
The pandemic-related school closures in the country affected about 38 million students though the government introduced TV-based learning programmes for them.
Still unsure about dropped out students’ number: Dipu Moni
The number of students dropped out during the Covid-forced closure of schools could not be ascertained yet, said Education Minister Dipu Moni.
“We’re receiving assignments from over 90 per cent of students. That means they’ve not dropped out. Many parents are still not sending their children to schools out of fear and so the presence of students in schools is not cent percent,” she said.
The minister said while speaking at a programme at Shilpakal Academy in the town marking the Community Policing Day.
The number of students in schools will increase if the Covid situation improves further and schools will be buzz with their presence, she said.
Also read: Schools, colleges that’ll see infection surge to be shut: Dipu Moni
During the closure of schools many girl students were married off, she said, adding” We’ve instructed teachers to take steps to bring back those students to schools.”
Malignant force weaving conspiracy from abroad: Dipu Moni
Education Minister Dipu Moni has said it is a matter for the investigation whether any foreign forces are involved with the temple attacks in Bangladesh.
“But it’s clear that some malignant force is weaving conspiracies from outside the country. Many of their comments are being found from many places,” she added.
The minister said this while talking to journalists on Tuesday during her visit to vandalized temples of Hajiganj upazila in Chandpur.
Read: New curricula in schools, colleges from 2023: Dipu Moni
“It is clear that all the temple attacks across the country are preplanned,” said Dipu Moni.
Perpetrators of these attacks have been marked and government will take actions against each one of them, she said.
Read: Schools cannot charge fees for assignments: Dipu Moni
Dipu Moni visited temple of SriSri Lakshmi Narayan Jiu and Ramakrishna Missionin Hajiganj municipal area and talked with Hindu community leaders during her visit.