Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s skill-based education agenda praised at the Commonwealth

Bangla Mirror Desk:

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s leadership in Bangladesh’s extraordinary education sector success was praised at the 22nd Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers held in London on May 16-17, 2024. Bangladesh was particularly commended for its recent achievements and transformations in the education sector, in particular for a stronger emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) over the past decade, leading to higher employment of young people in the private industry; greater access to IT education and lifelong learning on digital platforms as well as ensuring gender parity in primary, secondary and tertiary education.

Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury, MP, led the Bangladesh delegation at the 22nd CCEM and presented the country’s statement. He recommended that it is time for the global south to make greater financial investments in both hard and soft infrastructure in the education sector. He also emphasized the need to build robust innovative partnerships with the private sector, international financial institutions, and global funds.

In his country statement, the Education Minister also briefed the Conference on the significant progress of Bangladesh in improving access to education, with efforts focused on enhancing quality and inclusivity across all levels of education. He said, “SDG 4 on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for our 60 million girls and boys and skill-based higher education for another 30 million, has been at the heart of our Head of Government Sheikh Hasina’s aspirations for an educated, healthy, inclusive and resilient Smart Bangladesh by 2041”

Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi addressed the event as the keynote speaker while the Education Minister provided an update of the SDG 4 progress on behalf of the Asian Commonwealth. He also co-chaired the ministerial roundtable on “Rethinking Education for Skills, Youth Employability, and Decent Work” with Gambia’s Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology Minister Hon. Professor Pierre Gomez.

He also met the Commonwealth Secretary-General the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland KC during the conference at the Commonwealth Secretariat. Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem accompanied Education Minister at the Conference.