Gurudaspur: Primary and Mass Education Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder today announced the government's commitment to ensuring quality education by focusing on the physical and mental development of students. The announcement was made during the inauguration of the School Feeding Programme at Khubjipur Government Primary School in Gurudaspur upazila.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the initiative aims to improve the quality of primary education, which is seen as crucial for developing responsible citizens. Dr Bidhan emphasized the importance of primary education in nurturing students' mental well-being and highlighted the role of nutritious meals in promoting physical health, thereby encouraging regular school attendance and attentiveness.
Dr Bidhan remarked on the potential of students, stating that the government's efforts are directed towards nurturing this potential. He underscored the significance of co-curricular activities such as sports, music, and public speaking in children's overall development. He also pointed out that primary schools are foundational in teaching students to express themselves, build relationships, and learn values like discipline and morality.
The adviser outlined the goals of primary education, which include enabling students to read fluently, write clearly, and solve mathematical problems. Achieving these core skills will allow students to become valuable assets to the nation.
The ceremony was presided over by Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Abu Noor Md. Shamsuzzaman. Other notable attendees included Primary and Mass Education Secretary Abu Taher Md. Masud Rana, World Food Programme Resident Representative and Country Director Domenico Scalpelli, and Acting Deputy Commissioner Md. Arif Hossain.
According to the School Feeding Programme project, 31,13,000 students across 19,419 government primary schools in 150 upazilas will receive nutritious food, such as fortified biscuits, fruits, buns, eggs, and UHT milk, five days a week until 2027. This initiative aims to support inclusive and equitable education while enhancing students' nutritional status.
District Primary Education Officer Mohammad Abdul Hannan reported that 18,466 students from 90 government primary schools in Gurudaspur upazila would benefit from the feeding programme. Project Director Mohammad Harun Or Rashid highlighted that the initiative's objective is to bolster the quality of education and improve nutritional outcomes for students.