Three more public universities under education plan

The government yesterday promised more teachers, three more public universities, and one technical institute in every upazila as part of a massive injection of funds into the education and technology sector in the budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 (FY10).

Finance Minister AMA Muhith proposed Tk 14,387 crore for the education and technology sector, with Tk 6,611 crore for Mass and Primary Education ministry, Tk 7,395 crore for the Education ministry and Tk 381 crore for the Science, Information and Communication Technology ministry.

As part of government efforts to narrow regional disparity in higher education, Muhith announced plans to establish a university each in Barisal, Rangamati and Gopalganj.

"In response to increasing demand for diversified and improved quality of higher education and proper management of Universities, the Government has been preparing Private University Act, 2009," he said in his speech.

The minister also declared the government's commitment to ensure 100 percent enrolment at the primary level by 2010 and to prevent dropouts.

He said the budget also includes a provision to construct 1500 new primary schools in less-served areas and reconstructing 370 primary schools which were destroyed or damaged by flood and river erosion.

Muhith stressed on recruiting more and better teachers, saying the government has developed a medium term programme to recruit science teachers and setting up science laboratories in each secondary school.

The government target is to recruit a minimum of five teachers for each primary school in order to bring down the teacher-student ratio by 2011-2012.

"We are determined to bring down the teacher-student ratio from 1:50 to 1:40 by 2011-2012 in order to remove illiteracy from the country within 2017," he said and

The government has an ongoing project to construct a model school with modern equipment and amenities in 306 selected upazilas in the current fiscal year.

Muhith said the government is planning to introduce appropriate recruitment procedures to appoint qualified and trained teachers in educational institutions.

He said the government proposed to disburse Tk 3,904 to non-government teachers and an additional Tk 112 crores to non-government institutions for FY10.

The finance minister placed a particular focus on boosting vocational education, rising its allocation by 56.3 from last fiscal year's budget to allot Tk 322 crore for FY10.

"Only 3-4 percent of the total students are currently enrolled in technical and vocational education at secondary and higher secondary levels. We want to engage our youth more in vocational education and to that end we have introduced vocational and technical courses at secondary and higher secondary levels," he said.

The government is planning to establish one technical institute at each upazila in phases, he said, adding the government will also introduce compulsory computer and technical education at secondary levels by 2013 and 2021 respectively.

The number of students receiving stipends will also rise in FY10, with 79 lakh students expected to receive stipends in the next fiscal year, a massive jump from the 48.25 lakh students who are currently on stipends.

The government has taken up a priority programme to increase the percentage of stipend beneficiaries from 40 percent to 100 percent in poverty-stricken Monga, slum areas and areas affected by river erosion and cyclone.

Muhith also said 4.77 crore textbooks would be distributed among primary school students for free in 2009, with an additional future programme to distribute free textbooks to all primary school students.

He also proposed to allocate Tk 300 crore in the next fiscal year for free distribution of textbooks to secondary school students to achieve the target of removing illiteracy from the country by 2014.

The finance minister also proposed to provide grants to registered and community primary school teachers to generate momentum in the primary education system.