DHAKA: Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday (January 29) categorically said she considers the allocation of national budget in education sector as investment rather than expense.

The premier made the remarks while addressing the inaugural program of the “National Primary Education Week-2017” at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka in the morning.

She said: “I do not think the money of national budget, allocated for the education sector, is an expense. Rather, this is an investment as we are educating our younger generation with this money.”

The “National Primary Education Week-2017” is being observed in the country under the theme “Enlighten through Education, Build Digital Bangladesh”.

The premier also said her government is giving priority to the education sector, ensuring quality education and technology- based competent manpower.

Hasina also recalled the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in education sector of the newly liberated Bangladesh.

But the path was curbed through the killing of Bangabandhu, she added.

“The Awami League, then, came into power in 1996, after 21 years of the murder of Bangabandhu. The rate of literacy was then only 45 percent. We took measures to increase it and raised the rate to 65 percent in 2001.”

“Then, the BNP government took power in 2001 and the rate of literacy started to decrease. It decreased to 44 percent when they left the state power in 2006. We (Awami League) formed the government in 2009 and once again the literacy rate started to increase. Now rate of literacy is 71 percent.”

The premier also highlighted the distribution of free textbooks among the students who are getting new books on the first day of the year. “New books encourage them to study properly.”

As per the government policy, we have taken initiatives to distribute primary level books among students of five ethnic communities in their mother tongue in 2017 educational session.

“The government also has provided brail books to blind people. No country in the world has the record of distributing this much free textbooks among students.”

Sheikh Hasina further said that 50,000 schools will start classes through multimedia by 2017.

She also urged the affluent people to give laptops and other equipment to spread education in their own areas.
 
Later, the prime minister awarded teachers and officials for their contribution in education sector.

BDST: 1206/1652 HRS, JAN 29, 2017
LM/BD/SR