Tech-Driven Transformation Tops BNP Education Blueprint

Education sector stakeholders have emphasized the need for experienced and technology-savvy leadership to implement the far-reaching roadmap for technology-driven modernization outlined in the election manifesto of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). According to them, the next Education Minister must be knowledgeable, reform-oriented, and well-versed in both domestic and global technology trends to ensure the desired transformation of the education sector.

In a statement to the media on Monday, February 16, education economist Professor M Niaz Asadullah, Convener of the Education Rights Parliament (ERP), said that one of the biggest challenges in achieving the manifesto’s goal of technology-based modernization will be delivering on the promise of generating millions of new jobs and freelancers. To achieve this, he stressed the need to build a market-oriented education system where technical education, skills-based training, and internships receive mandatory emphasis.

He noted that fulfilling the commitment to increase budgets for the Ministry of Education and ICT projects will require unprecedented structural reforms. Coordinating large-scale changes such as digitalization, technical transformation, and financial expansion will demand interdisciplinary expertise and modern administrative capacity.

At the same time, he urged attention to the crisis surrounding the moral foundation of the education system—academic integrity—amid digital transformation.

Professor Asadullah warned, “In recent times, the misuse of technology has threatened the quality of teaching in educational institutions. Unethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by both teachers and students, along with incidents such as question paper leaks facilitated by digital tools, are casting doubt on the global credibility of our degrees. To address this situation, the new Education Minister must have proven and uncompromising experience in combating fraud, plagiarism, and irregularities in the education sector.”

According to him, “The next Education Minister cannot simply be passionate about education; they must possess extensive administrative experience, policymaking competence, and a reformist mindset. We need leadership capable of breaking the long-standing stagnation of ‘education without learning’ and ‘digitalization without outcomes.’ For this reason, ERP has previously outlined three essential conditions: (1) an uncompromising track record of good governance and anti-corruption efforts—particularly in preventing exam cheating and question leaks; (2) the political wisdom to free educational institutions from partisan influence; and (3) internationally recognized advanced academic expertise.”

Sector experts agree that technological integration in education is no longer optional but an unavoidable reality. Bringing Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity, and innovation-driven technical education into the mainstream will require policy stability and alignment with international standards.

They believe that an Education Minister who possesses a comprehensive understanding of domestic and global technological trends and can effectively coordinate with industry will pave the way for job creation, skilled human resource development, and sustainable economic growth.

According to experts, establishing a technology-driven and skills-based education system will not only reduce unemployment but also lay the foundation for transforming Bangladesh into a knowledge-based, innovation-led, and export-oriented economy.

DBTech/MHT/EK/OR