The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORT

The 16th Meeting of VCEP Donor Consortium was held on 24 April at UCEP Head Office at Mirpur, Dhaka. Representatives of Department for International Development (DFID), The Royal Danish Embassy (DANIDA), Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and Save the Children Sweden-Denmark (SCSD) and Members of UCEP Board of Governors and UCEP Association were present in the meeting. In his opening address the Chairperson of UCEP Board of Governors Mr. A. G. M. Shamsul Kamal thanked the development partners for their financial support and guideline for taking UCEP programme to a new height of success.

He also categorically mentioned about the recent development in UCEP Programmes like introduction of Integrated General and Vocational (IGV) Education in the general schools, inclusion of financial support to SSC (Voc.) students for Diploma in Engineering Courses, introduction of Child Rights and Advocacy Programme and inclusion of SME-Credit program and Employment Support Activities for self-employment of UCEP students. Mr. Kamal thanked Ms. Mahal Aminuzzaman of Danish Embassy and also the outgoing Chair of UCEP Consortium for her tireless efforts in guiding UCEP. He also congratulated Ms. Barbara Payne of DFID as the new Chair of the Consortium.

Ms. Mahal Aminuzzman, Program Officer of The Royal Danish Embassy and outgoing Chair of UCEP Donor Consortium mentioned that the donor partners are giving utmost priority to technical education for alleviation of poverty from Bangladesh.

The UCEP model of education should be replicated throughout Bangladesh to expedite the goal, she added. She also thanked VCEP Management for qualitative and quantitative changes in UCEP Programmes during the last couple of years.

Speaking on the occasion Ms. Barbara Payne, Senior Education Adviser of DFID and new Chair of UCEP Consortium said UCEP educational programme is a model in the vocational education arena of Bangladesh and now in a position to train other NGOs in replicating the model. She also mentioned that as a donor partner of Bangladesh DFID is inspired to work with UCEP and expressed optimism about the future growth and leadership role of UCEP as a vocational education provider.

The Executive Director of UCEP-Bangladesh Brig. Gen. Aftab Vddin Ahmad (Retd.) made a presentation on achievements of VCEP during the last project phase ended in June 2007. He also mentioned about the plan of expansion and diversification in the programmes during the project phase VI which started from December 2007.