Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has announced major reforms aimed at modernising the national education system and eliminating disparities. Key measures include the introduction of unified question papers for common subjects across Madrasa and general education streams, alongside the recruitment of 50,000 primary school teachers.
Speaking as the chief guest at a programme marking the 20th University Day of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) on Monday, the minister said subjects common to both Madrasa and general education, including Bengali, English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Accounting, Economics, and Sociology, will henceforth be examined using identical question papers.
He further confirmed that all nine general education boards will conduct the HSC examinations using a single, uniform question paper.
Addressing the long-standing stagnation in primary school recruitment, the minister noted that a 2017 legal case had stalled the appointment of headmasters in approximately 32,500 of the country’s 65,500 government primary schools.
He informed the audience that the matter has been brought to the court’s attention following discussions in Parliament and is expected to be resolved by 2 July. Following this resolution, the government plans to recruit 50,000 primary teachers within the subsequent three months.
In a bid to reduce the hardships faced by educators, the minister announced that the transfer process for teachers under the Non-Government Teachers’ Registration and Certification Authority (NTRCA) will be fully automated by 16 July.
Regarding the salary arrears of Madrasa teachers for May and June, he criticised the previous administration’s handling of the Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) project.
The minister noted that although the project’s costs escalated from Tk10 crore to 80 crore, it remained incomplete, and procedural errors in the EFT database led to budget allocation issues for 17,000 Madrasa teachers appointed by the former interim government.
He assured that the current government is working swiftly to resolve these complexities.
The minister also emphasised the importance of transforming the population into human capital through skill development.
He highlighted the prime minister’s vision to provide school-going children with shoes, socks, uniforms, bags, books, and mid-day meals. Alongside academic excellence, he stressed the need for moral education, family values, sports, and cultural engagement.
The event was presided over by NSTU Vice-Chancellor Professor Golam Rabbani. Special guests included lawmaker Md Shahjahan and University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Professor Mamun Ahmed.
Also in attendance were Deputy Commissioner Shofiqul Islam, Superintendent of Police NM Nasiruddin, and NSTU Pro-Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohammad Safiqul Islam, along with local administration officials, faculty, and students.
