Dhaka: University Grant Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Dr. SMA Faiz has emphasized the necessity of adopting need-based or demand-based education to remain competitive on a global scale. Prof. Faiz articulated that such an educational framework is indispensable for national progress.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Prof. Faiz made these remarks while serving as the chief guest at a seminar titled ‘Need-based Education in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects,’ which took place at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council Auditorium. National University (NU) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. A. S. M. Amanullah, speaking as a special guest, highlighted the importance of demand-based education and advocated for the formation of a Modern Education Commission, describing it as a timely necessity.
Prof. Amanullah pointed out the lack of qualitative advancements in Bangladesh’s education sector over the past 52 years and noted the absence of a world-class university in the country. He mentioned that the National University is revising its syllabus to equip students for the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution.
In his capacity as the president of the seminar, Education Reform Initiative (ERI) Chairman and former State Minister for Education ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon addressed the misconception of technical education being socially inferior. He argued that technical education holds significant value in developed countries and is crucial for maximizing human resource potential. Milon also suggested the constitutional establishment of an education commission.
The seminar featured a keynote speech by Jahangirnagar University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, who underscored the importance of industry-academia coordination. Other speakers, including eminent physician Professor AK Azad and Bangladesh Open University (BOU) Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Sayeed Ferdous, advocated for a focus on technical, technological, and vocational education to modernize and orient Bangladesh’s education system towards demand.
The seminar also stressed the need for enhanced research cooperation, teacher training, and increased industry-academia linkages. The event attracted scholars, educationists, policymakers, and researchers from various government and private universities across the country, and was moderated by ERI Member Secretary Syed Rezwanul Kabir.