Not a single child to be deprived of education

Prime Minister Khaleda Zia gives books to a child at the inaugural ceremonmy for distribution of free textbooks among school and madrassah students at the International Conference Centre in Dhaka yesterday. PHOTO: PID

"Our objective is that not a single child should be deprived of being enlightened with education. We will ensure that poverty does not become a barrier to schooling of future citizens," she said this while she was distributing books to a group of students for the year 2004.

Prime Minister formally opened the distribution of primary, ebtedayee and secondary-level textbooks at a function at the International Conference Centre in PM's Office.

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Over 10 crore textbooks have been printed this year-- 6.64 crore for primary while around 2 crore for ebtedayee students, according to an official source.

Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk, Prime Minister's Advisor on Primary and Mass Education Prof Jahanara Begum and State Minister for Education Ehsanul Huq Milan also addressed the function.

Ministers, MPs, academics, teachers, and printers and publishers were present.

Addressing the function, the PM said her government emphasised the need for universal education as a tool for alleviation of poverty, with special importance given to job-oriented education.

"Not traditional education, we want to ensure standard and time-befitting education," she said. "We want an educated nation for strengthening democracy," she added.

Terming teachers as the architects for building competent humans and an enlightened society, she said those who will remain in the frontline of constructing society would not be enough to be educated only academically rather they must be endowed with developed values, patriotism and moral qualities.

Alongside textbook teaching, these values will have to be inculcated in the learners.

Teachers will have to do their best in creating competent and quality citizens upon whom the responsibility of future leadership of society and this state will be bestowed, the prime minister told her audience from the academic field.

She thanked people of printing industry for their efforts and contribution in handing over textbooks to the students in proper time.

Pointing out criticism regarding various mistakes in textbooks, the PM hoped that concerned people would be careful in printing textbooks correctly besides distribution of the books in time.