C T Online Desk: In continuing with its vision of building up a highly educated and skilled Bangladesh, the government has decided to bring in 2,700 educational institutions under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme. The number also includes 665 educational institutions under the Madrassa and Vocational board.
Under the MPO scheme, the government pays 100% of the basic salaries of teachers who work in non-government institutes. For a nation on the brink of reaping the benefits of a demographic dividend, it is good to see the government recognizing.
While the numbers of our passing percentage when it comes to both the primary and secondary education sector are high, questions arise when it comes to the inspection of the actual quality of the education imparted. A large number of university graduates sit idly because they don’t have the necessary skills for the job market.
All of this points to an education system that may seem functional but requires plenty of change. To mitigate this situation, one of the steps that we can take is to employ better teachers. The education sector — especially primary and secondary educational institutions — are notorious for paying meager wages that are scarcely adequate for people to get by. Not only that, but there have been instances where teachers are not paid on time as well. As such, the government initiative to bring more educational institutions under the MPO program is both timely and proper, given the gravity of the situation.
Of course, bringing in quality teachers is just a single part of the equation. We need to revamp the curriculum as well. The world is on the brink of experiencing the fourth industrial revolution. Only through proper preparation can we transform ourselves into a nation capable of seizing this opportunity.
