DHAKA: The government is going to form a trust for the students to provide them with free education up to degree level, raising fund from government and non-government sources to foot the bill.
A five-member subcommittee has already been formed to raise the trust fund and frame its rules under which the student’s tutelage will be funded. This panel will also monitor the trust funds of different universities.
Education Secretary Syed Ataur Rahman confirmed banglanews24.com.bd about the government’s decision on free studentship up to the degree level and said that a detailed discussion in this regard was held at a Planning Ministry meeting Tuesday.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a meeting with the secretaries held on July 18 also disclosed her government’s decision on the matter,” the Education Secretary said.
At that meeting, the PM instructed the officials to form a trust and requested them to create a fund for the purpose as soon as possible.
The subcommittee, with Principal Secretary of the Prime Minister’s office Abdul Karim as Convenor, was formed at the meeting of the Planning Ministry. Planning Minister A.K. Khandaker chaired the meeting.
Other members of the committee are Education Secretary Syed Ataur Rahman, the Finance Secretary, the Establishment Secretary and a general economic division (GED) member of the Planning Commission.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, Education Adviser Dr. Alauddin Ahmed and GED member Dr. Shamsul Islam were also present at the meeting.
A source close to the committee said the subcommittee has been formed so that the functioning of the trust fund is not discontinued even if the future governments do not want. This trust fund will run with the donations of government, non-government organizations and also with the help of expatriates.
This long-term programme has been taken up due to the keen interest of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The funds will be used for purchasing books and bearing monthly expenditures of students to prevent dropouts at graduate and postgraduate levels.
The trust fund will also be utilized to provide stipends to poor and meritorious students of degree classes.
Prime Minister Hasina at the July 18 meeting expressed the desire of her government to provide free education up to the degree level. Majority of the secretaries agreed on the proposal of the Prime Minister, but a few raised the point as to where this huge amount of money will come from.
In reply, the Prime Minister said, “We should not only think about budget-centered allocation; if necessary, we will form a trust to bear the expenses. If we can provide this facility, the backward and poorer sections of the country will get the opportunities for higher education.”
The present government is supplying textbooks free of cost to the students of primary and secondary levels. Female students up to class XII are getting free education.
Initially, the female students only up to class X were provided with general stipends, but similar stipend facilities will be introduced for male students from this year.
The provision of general stipends for the male students at primary level is already in vogue.
BDST 1619 HRS, JULY 21, 2010
