Education
2 Bangladeshi Youths Partakes in China’s Youth Camp
The North East Asian Youth Camp on Sustainable Development 2023, took place in China, Jiangxi Province, which included young representatives from various countries including Bangladesh. In this significant mega event, two individuals from Bangladesh had the privilege to participate.
From August 21st to 27th, a seven-day youth camp was held in the Jiangxi Province of China. The closing ceremony of the camp included the distribution of certificates among the participants. The event was jointly organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. It was jointly sponsored by China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and South Korea’s SK Group.
In the course of the program, participants embarked on learning journeys to Nanchang, Ji’an, and Yichun cities within Jiangxi Province. Their explorations encompassed historic sites from China’s Red Revolution, exhibits on poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, centers for scientific and technological innovation, national geological preserves, cultural heritage sites, folk culture enclaves, and other locales of significance.
The opening ceremony was officiated by Fan Yong, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government. Notable attendees included Xia Wenyong, Vice Governor of Jiangxi Provincial People’s Government; Wu Dianwu, Deputy Secretary-General of China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; and An Rongji, Deputy Consul General of the Korean Consulate General in Wuhan, who also delivered speeches.
Prominent figures such as Zhao Bo, Deputy Director of the International Cooperation and Exchange Department of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation; Qiu Ling, Secretary of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee of the Communist Youth League; Huang Xiaoyan, Deputy Director of the Jiangxi Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and Vice President of the Provincial Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; and Hu Zhenyan, Deputy Secretary of the Jiangxi Provincial Party Committee of the Communist Youth League and Chairman of the Provincial Youth Federation, graced the opening ceremony.
Representatives from 30 young individuals of 12 countries, including Bangladesh, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan, took part in this camp.
The Primary and Mass Education Ministry has declared the closure of all primary schools within the city corporation areas of eight divisional cities, citing concerns for children’s safety.
Senior Information Officer Mahbubur Rahman stated, “The class programs of these institutes will remain closed until further instruction. The decision has been taken considering the safety of the children.”
Additionally, the ministry has suspended classes at primary schools managed by the Shishu Kalyan Trust and learning centers operated by the Bangladesh Bureau of Education Information and Statistics.
Demanding the withdrawal of the “Prottoy” universal pension scheme, teachers at public universities across the country, including Dhaka University, have suspended all academic and administrative activities indefinitely starting today (1 July).
No classes or exams have taken place on campus since this morning.
“The protest against the new pension scheme has commenced with the suspension of academic activities. It will persist until the government withdraws the scheme,” stated Dr. Akhtarul Islam, president of the Bangladesh University Teachers Samity Federation.
However, a visit to the geography department of Dhaka University revealed that administrative activities not involving teachers remained operational.
“The administrative offices are open, but all classrooms are locked,” said Fariha, a geography department student.
Nizam Haq Bhuiyan, general secretary of the Dhaka University Teachers’ Association (DUTA), announced a two-day protest with teachers’ demands.
“Our program will begin at 12pm in front of the Faculty of Arts today and continue until 1pm,” he said.
Today also marks the 104th founding anniversary of Dhaka University. Students were seen attending the program at TSC despite light rain.
On 13 March, the government introduced the Prottoy scheme for employees joining public universities and other organisations under the scheme from 1 July 2024 onwards.
However, those who joined these institutions before 1 July 2024 will continue to receive their previous pension benefits.
In addition to public universities, employees in autonomous, state-owned, and other statutory organisations, along with their subordinates, will also be included in the pension scheme, set to be implemented from Monday.
Public university teachers have been protesting their inclusion in the Prottoy scheme since its announcement and have vowed to continue their protest until it is withdrawn.
Meanwhile, the National Pension Authority has stated that they are ready to implement the scheme from Monday as per the government’s decision.
The Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams commenced across Bangladesh this morning, excluding the Sylhet division.
In Sylhet, the exams will begin on July 9 due to flooding, according to a Ministry of Education directive. The Sylhet Education Board Chairman, Rama Bijoy Sarkar, stated that new dates for the Bangla-I, II, and English-I and II papers will be announced later.
Nationwide, a total of 14,50,790 students from nine general education boards, the Madrasha Board, and the Technical Board are expected to take the exams at 2,275 centers from 9,463 educational institutions.
Among the candidates, 11,28,281 are from general boards, 88,076 from the Madrasha Board, and 2,34,433 from the Technical Board. Additionally, 281 students will take the exams from eight overseas centers.
Following tradition, all coaching centers are required to remain closed from June 29 to August 11.
Last year, 13,59,342 students participated in the examinations from all boards.
The HSC written exams will continue until August 11, followed by practical exams from August 12 to August 21. Exams under the Technical Board will end on July 18, with practical exams scheduled from July 19 to August 4.
Students must enter exam centers 30 minutes before the exams start. The question paper codes will be sent via SMS 25 minutes before the exams begin. Only exam center in-charges are allowed to carry mobile phones inside the centers.
Only examinees, center invigilators, ministry teams, board teams, local administration, upazila administration teams, and security personnel are permitted inside the exam centers.
In Dhaka, the Quick Response Team (QRT) of the Metropolitan Police will assist examinees during the exams, as previously announced.
