Spending on education is an investment: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said spending money on education sector is a great investment for the future, not an expense.

"I never see spending money on education as an expense, I think it's an investment," the Prime Minister said.

She said this while distributing The Prime Minister Gold Medal Award at a ceremony arranged by the University Grants Commission (UGC) at the Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister's Office.

Sheikh Hasina said public universities are statutory bodies but "more than 90 percent of their expenditures-- no, not 90 percent-- in fact, 100 percent expenditures are borne by the government... whatever development is needed we do that from the government."

She said spending money on education means building the future generation which will be helpful in materialising the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to make the country a 'Golden Bengal'.

The Prime Minister said the students will help continue the country's march forward initiated by the government. "Make sure the country never steps back."

The Prime Minister said that to advance the country the necessity of education and educated people is the most urgent matter.

"Our aim is to march forward the country, and for that we give utmost importance on the research. I think that we cannot make advance in any matter without research," she said.

Terming the students of the country as most brilliant, Sheikh Hasina said that they just need the chance to flourish their merit.

"Our children are not meritless, each and every child of ours is brilliant, they just need a chance to prove their merit, our responsibility is to create that scope for them," she said.

The Prime Minister said they will have to build themselves as worthy citizens of the country to lead the nation in the future.

She called upon the students who received the awards to properly utilise their talents for their self-development as well as the nation.

The Prime Minister elaborated the steps taken by her government for making the higher education multifaceted one by setting up many specialised universities in the country to develop a science and technology-based educated nation.

Putting emphasis on improving the quality and standard of education, Hasina said, “Accreditation Council Act” has been passed in Parliament to ensure the quality of education in universities.”

Besides, a Higher Education Commission is being constituted as it is not possible for the UGC alone to accomplish the responsibility of monitoring, controlling and ensuring accountability of the Universities, she said.

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh has now become self-dependent economically and the government is taking the country forward through the development highway with a greater dignity and honour.

Earlier, the Prime Minister handed over the gold medals among 163 talented students of different public and private universities of the country for achieving the highest marks/CGPA in their respective faculties.  

The Prime Minister Gold Medal was introduced in 2005 in a bid to encourage the talented university students.

Ministers, Advisers to the Prime Minister, National Professors, former UGC Chairmen, Secretaries of different ministries, UGC Members, Vice-Chancellors from public and private universities, educationists, high officials from Prime Minister's Office and UGC and parents and guardians of the awardees were, among others, present on the occasion.

Presided over by UGC Chairman Prof Abdul Mannan, the function was addressed, among others, by Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education Md Sohorab Hossain and Member of UGC Prof Dr Dil Afroza Begum.

Israt Jahan Pia of Jagannath University and Sajan Dhar of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology spoke on behalf of the Gold Medal recipients.

Source: unb