Education adviser to the interim government Professor Chowdhury Rafiqul Abrar has urged for a change in the pervasive belittling mindset about technical education, stressing that technical education should be integrated with mainstream education.
鈥榃e have a negative perception about technical education and stigmatise it as a factory for producing carpenters,鈥� the adviser said at a seminar on Monday, adding, 鈥榯his is a wrong perception.鈥�
He also said that a certain percentage of technical education courses should be included in the mainstream education 鈥榯o enable people to consider physical labour with respect and learn skills鈥�.
The adviser made the comments at a time when the students from different polytechnic institutes in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country are protesting over job, promotion and quality higher education.
The seminar, titled 鈥楺uality improvement of technical education: possibility and actions in the global perspective鈥� was organised by the Technical and Madrasah Education Division under the ministry at the International Mother Language Institute in Dhaka.
While delivering speech as chief guest, Professor Abrar said that technical education students were the frontline craftspeople for building a new Bangladesh.
鈥業f we can involve these students in the national activities in a planned manner it will give a massive boost to the national development,鈥� he said.
Mentioning that technical education was neglected for long, the adviser said that the sector was struggling with a lack of skilled teachers, critical shortage of female students and different structural problems.
鈥業 believe that technical education should be included in the mainstream education,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥榗ountries which are doing well spent hugely in technical or vocational education鈥�.
The adviser further said that during the July uprising the students experienced trauma and it would not be wise to expect normal behaviour from all.
鈥楥urrently we are going through such a volatile time that every day new tension is arising between the teachers and the students,鈥� he said.
The professor in his speech urged the teachers to achieve the trust of the students, while called on the students to consider everything with respect.
KM Kabirul Islam, secretary of Technical and Madrasah Education Division, presided over the seminar while Secondary and Higher Education Division senior secretary Siddique Zobair, National Skills Development Authority executive chairman (secretary) Nasreen Afroz and Directorate of Technical Education director general Shoaib Ahmad Khan were also present, among others.
