3 females clinch best essay title
Three female students were awarded yesterday for their innovative ideas, presented though entries at the Bangladesh Development Initiative (BDI) 2016 Essay Competition for University Students, which could substantially contribute to Bangladesh's economic prosperity and social wellbeing of citizens.
Fariba Islam of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology secured Tk 50,000 as prize money for the best essay titled “Digi-teacher: Ensuring Quality Education for All”.
Nishat Anjum of the University of Cambridge got Tk 30,000 for the second best essay, “Building a Better Bangladesh: By Reforming Education”.
Mumtarin Aishee Rabeya of the Asian University for Women obtained Tk 20,000 for the third best on “Information Communication and Technology for Agricultural Development”.
Fariba, Mumtarin and Nishat's father Ayub Chowdhury, on her behalf, each received a certificate from renowned economist Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud at a ceremony in the capital's Policy Research Institute.
Presenting her essay, Fariba mentioned that rural students do not get quality education due to a lack of skilled teachers and proper educational materials.
“I wanted to develop a video tutorial for students from class VI to XII. These tutorials can be played through any video supported mobile phone both online and offline,” she said.
Collaboration between government and non-government organisations can ensure smooth operation, she added.
Though not physically present, Nishat explained her idea through an audio recording, stating limitations of Bangladesh's schooling system and highlighting its impacts on children.
She proposed reforming the system to ensure a positive classroom environment and building teachers' capacity.
Mumtarin mentioned that farmers can benefit using information and technology to increase crop production and get just prices for crops.
Congratulating the winners, Prof Wahiduddin said students of the present generation were doing very well in different sectors with their innovative ideas.
BDI President Dr Munir Quddus, also dean of College of Business at Prairie View A&M University, Northwest Houston Center, gave the welcome speech.
Brac University Vice-Chancellor Prof Syed Saad Andaleeb, Prof Emeritus Ahrar Ahmad of Black Hills State University and Prof Akhlaque Haque from the University of Alabama at Birmingham also spoke.
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