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BSS-14
ECNEC-MEETING, ONE
ECNEC approves Tk 2,511-crore project to expand science education
DHAKA, July 29, 2018 (BSS) – The Executive Committee of the National
Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Tk 2,511.51-crore project to expand
the scope for science education in 200 government colleges across the
country.
The approval came from the 3rd ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year
at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar held with ECNEC
Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa
Kamal said a total of nine projects involving an overall estimated cost of Tk
7,539.13 crore were approved today.
“Of the total project cost, Taka 6,751.66 crore will come from the GoB
portion, Tk 258.57 crore from the organisation’s own fund while the rest of
Tk 528.90 crore from project assistance,” he said.
Of the approved nine projects, eight are new while one is a revised
project.
The Planning Minister said the Secondary and Higher Education Division
under the Ministry of Education will implement ‘the Expansion of Science
Education project’ by June 2021.
Noting that the importance of science and technology is indispensable in
the current world, Kamal said the interest of the country’s students and
youth folks has declined over science education in recent times.
According to the data of the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information
and Statistics, students in science education section have declined by 11.12
percent compared to arts and commerce education at the higher secondary level
during 1990 to 2013.
So, Kamal said, there is no alternative to taking immediate measures to
remove the barriers in science education.
Under the circumstances, the project has been placed and approved which
aims to increase infrastructural facilities in some 200 government colleges
to expand science education side by side increasing the capacity of the
teachers and increasing scope for conducting researches in science and
technology.
The main project operations include construction of one six-storey
academic building in 176 government colleges having rooms for teachers,
classrooms, IT lab-cum-language rooms, multipurpose halls, common rooms, rest
rooms, upward extension of existing academic buildings in 18 colleges
alongside renovation of academic buildings in six colleges, construction of
164-seat male and female hostels in 47 colleges, and providing ICT
equipments, furniture and office equipments to some 200 government colleges
and 47 hostels.
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