Students to be prepared for science and technology from primary level: Bobby Hajjaj
The meeting focused on expanding cooperation between Bangladesh and Türkiye in the primary education sector, including teacher training, infrastructure development, curriculum modernisation and improving the quality of education.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj has said the government's goal is to build a primary education system that equips students for modern science and technology-based learning before they enter secondary school.
He made the remarks today (7 June) during a meeting with a delegation led by Dr Ali Ercan, vice-president of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), at his office in the Bangladesh Secretariat.
The meeting focused on expanding cooperation between Bangladesh and Türkiye in the primary education sector, including teacher training, infrastructure development, curriculum modernisation and improving the quality of education.
Hajjaj said Bangladesh aspires to achieve the same level of progress in science, technology and innovation as Türkiye. To achieve this, he stressed the need to strengthen students' foundations in science, mathematics, technology and problem-solving skills from the primary level.
"Our objective is to establish a primary education system where a student entering secondary school is already prepared for modern science- and technology-driven education," he said.
Highlighting ongoing reforms, the state minister said the government is prioritising teacher training, curriculum development, infrastructure improvement, digital learning and the exchange of international best practices.
He added that Bangladesh has already launched knowledge-sharing initiatives with several countries on education administration, curriculum development, infrastructure planning and non-formal education, and expressed interest in developing similar cooperation with Türkiye.
During the meeting, both sides emphasised the importance of potential financial and technical assistance in primary education, model school development, teacher capacity building, student-friendly infrastructure and the exchange of experiences on national education philosophies and pedagogical approaches.
Dr Ali Ercan praised Hajjaj's leadership, commitment and long-term vision for primary education. He expressed optimism that the reform initiatives undertaken to improve educational quality would bring positive changes to Bangladesh's primary education sector.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides expressed hope for strengthening bilateral cooperation in education between Bangladesh and Türkiye.
