The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Chittagong

Education and Commerce Adviser Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman on Saturday said absence of good management and lack of adequate number of teachers are key-challenges in the way of ensuring quality education in the country.

"The government has been working relentlessly with effective reforms and necessary supports to improve the overall state of education," he said adding, "there is no alternative to quality education for more progress and prosperity."

The Adviser said this while addressing as the chief guest the prize giving ceremony of annual sports and cultural competition- 2008 of the Ispahani School and College (ISC) here.

Managing Director of the Ispahani Group of Companies M. Salman Ispahani presided over the function held on the ISC premises with a large number of students, guardians and elite of the city attending it.

Chairman of the Chittagong Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board Dr. Mohammad Yousuf, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Chittagong Jafar Ahmed and Principal of ISC Professor Hasina Zakaria, among others, also addressed the function.

The Adviser said massive commercialisation of education at all levels is also a big obstacle in ensuring quality education. "People want quality education but absence of good teachers and standard educational institutions particularly at the secondary and higher secondary levels is a big challenge," he said.

Keeping this in mind, he said, the government is seriously contemplating a drastic reform in the existing teachers' training system to overcome the problems.

In this respect, Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman said providing necessary financial supports and other logical facilities to the teachers is also a prerequisite to achieve coveted results in the education sector.

Referring to various problems arising out of forming and running managing committees of different educational institutions, he said the government is actively thinking about reshaping such bodies in the greater interest of the education sector.

"An order will be issued soon to limit the number of institutions for a government official to become chairman of their managing committees simultaneously," he said. It will also be made mandatory through the order that the meetings of such committees must be held on the premises of respective institutions, not in government offices, he added.

The Adviser urged the richer section of the people to contribute their best in establishing more educational institutions in the country in supplementing the government efforts to improve the quality of education.

Later, he handed over prizes among the winners in various disciplines and attended a cultural function participated by the students of ISC.