He also pointed out another phenomenal lapse like a widening disparity between standard of education in rural and urban areas and suggested ensuring balanced education to bridge the rural-urban gap.

"Education, the main instrument of building human resources, is the essence of the time. We should have to give more emphasis on it, especially on primary education, which is the foundation of higher education."

The president said this at the First Convocation of State University at the Bangladesh-China Friendship conference centre in the city yesterday. Vice-chancellor of Dhaka University S M A Faiz was the convocation speaker.

Iajuddin, a former teacher of Dhaka University, noted that, nowadays, quality education has been centralised at the towns. But, he also found out a disparity within the urban areas as well, as a few educational institutions are doing well in comparison with the others.

"Side by side, dependence on coaching centre has been raised, which is also another concern for us."

He regretted that, nowadays, apart from respective educational institutions, "almost all students are taking coaching from the coaching centres and an unhealthy competition is prevailing among the parents, guardians as well as the students".