Govt moves to introduce new edu framework with 30% focus on practical, professional skills
The country needs to place greater emphasis on hands-on learning, internships and field-based experience, says edu minister
The government has initiated efforts to introduce a new higher education framework aimed at making the country's education system more modern, skill-oriented and aligned with labour market demands.
Under the proposed structure, 40% of learning will be dedicated to academic knowledge, 30% to practical and professional skills, 20% to internships, fieldwork and project-based learning, and the remaining 10% to entrepreneurship, soft skills and career development.
Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon disclosed the plan while inaugurating a training programme for 12,000 teachers of the National University at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka today (7 June).
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"We want to build an education system where obtaining a degree is not the only goal, but where skilled and competent human resources are developed," the minister said. "This framework has been proposed with that objective."
Highlighting the mismatch between academic education and workplace requirements, Milon said the country needs to place greater emphasis on hands-on learning, internships and field-based experience to bridge the gap.
He said the government's objective is not simply to produce graduates but to create a skilled workforce capable of meeting the demands of a rapidly changing economy. To that end, special attention is being given to expanding and improving Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The minister said Bangladesh currently has 57 public universities and 116 private universities. The government is working to raise the quality of higher education through international collaboration, research partnerships and cross-border education initiatives.
"In the era of globalisation, students must have access to international-standard knowledge, skills and experience," he said, adding that universities should be equipped to compete globally.
The minister described education as the key driver of national development and expressed hope that successful implementation of the proposed reforms would help transform Bangladesh into a skilled, innovative and knowledge-based nation.
