Dhaka: Bangladesh and China have signed a memorandum of understanding on vocational teacher training and launched an international service centre and three other platforms to strengthen technical and vocational education cooperation, Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Spokesperson Mahdi Amin said on Monday, describing the Bangladeshi delegation's recent China visit as highly successful.
According to United News of Bangladesh, Mahdi, also Prime Minister's adviser, stated that the three-day visit primarily focused on exploring ways to utilise China's experience in technical and vocational education and establish stronger links between educational institutions and industries in Bangladesh. China is noted for its success in providing quality technical education at relatively low costs, especially through robust connections between educational institutions and industries.
During the visit, a high-level meeting was convened with representatives from 19 leading Chinese technical and vocational universities to discuss making Bangladesh's curricula more practical and employment-oriented. A symposium with 11 leading institutions was also held to explore ways to transform Bangladesh's young population into a skilled workforce.
The delegation visited a specialised 'Vocational Education Town', where 11 renowned technical universities are located, as well as several industrial sites to observe the cooperation between technical institutes, universities, and industries.
An MoU titled 'Agreement on the China-Bangladesh Vocational Teacher Training' was signed to prioritise developing the skills of teachers at Bangladesh's technical education institutions. Additionally, the 'China-Bangladesh Industry and Education Integration International Service Centre' was launched, along with three other platforms to support the development of technical education.
The initiatives aim at curriculum development, stronger industry-academia linkages, and elevating Bangladesh's technical education to international standards. The delegation also visited advanced research and development and smart manufacturing facilities in China, closely observing cooperation between industries and local educational institutions.
Mandarin language has been identified as an important area of bilateral educational cooperation. Discussions were held on enriching the curriculum, bringing skilled Chinese language teachers to Bangladesh, and integrating language education with technical and vocational training. The two sides also discussed modernising curricula, strengthening industry-academia collaboration, and establishing institutional partnerships.
Bangladesh has urged China to provide more full scholarships for students to pursue higher education in technical and vocational fields at Chinese institutions. There has been significant progress on this issue at the ministerial level.
The government aims to establish effective institutional networks between renowned Chinese technical institutions and Bangladeshi polytechnic institutes and universities. This initiative is expected to create employment opportunities for Bangladeshi youth in Chinese projects and companies operating in Bangladesh.
Efforts are underway to simplify the visa process for Chinese language teachers, researchers, and technical experts coming to Bangladesh. Productive discussions have been held in Dhaka among the education minister, the Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Describing the visit as a milestone in improving technical education in Bangladesh, Mahdi expressed hope that Bangladesh-China educational cooperation will reach new heights in the coming days. He thanked Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon for his leadership during the bilateral discussions with around 50 leading technical education institutions and universities.