Minister stresses vocational skills and education quality over enrollment growth.
Minister for Industries, Commerce, Textiles and Jute Khandaker Abdul Muktadir today said that improving the quality of education requires more than increasing the number of schools or student enrollment rates.
“It is essential to enhance students' learning capabilities and mathematical proficiency, and educational institutions must be integrated with new technologies,” he said this while addressing a function for awarding scholarships to some 700 meritorious students at Sylhet Zila Parishad auditorium here as the chief guest.
The minister said that there should be greater harmony across various educational streams including general education, technical education, English-medium education and Madrasa education.
Highlighting the importance of vocational education, Muktadir said that the Prime Minister’s envisions is an integration of general education with vocational and technical training.
The goal is for every student, upon completing their secondary or higher secondary education, to have acquired at least one vocational skill ensuring that even if they do not pursue higher education, they possess the capability to earn a livelihood, he added.
The scholarship distribution ceremony was organized by Sylhet Zila Parishad where a total of taka 3.969 million was awarded to 688 meritorious students who passed their SSC, HSC, or equivalent examinations in 2024 and 2025.
The Minister noted that the overall state of education in the Sylhet division was recently discussed at a workshop.
It was observed that Sylhet lags behind other divisions in terms of student enrollment, pass rates and various other educational indicators, the dropout rate is also notably high.
The Minister further remarked that the participation and success of female students are highly encouraging as the girls are performing well in various competitive fields and their participation and competence within the administration.
The minister noted that the Sylhet region also trails significantly behind other divisions of the country in terms of "functional literacy." Functional literacy refers to the ability to read, write and perform basic arithmetic, an area where improvement is urgently needed.
The event was presided over by Abul Kahar Chowdhury Shamim, Administrator of the Sylhet Zila Parishad. Among others, local Member of Parliament Abdul Malik, Sylhet City Corporation Administrator Abdul Kaiyum Chowdhury, Sylhet WASA Chairman Mifta Siddiqui, Sylhet Development Authority Chairman Rezaul Hasan Kaiselodi, Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun, Superintendent of Police Dr. Chowdhury Md. Jaber Sadeq, Jalalabad Gas Director Badruzzaman Selim and Sylhet City BNP General Secretary Imdad Hossain Chowdhury, addressed, the function.
