Bangladesh, China Boost Bonds in Education, Technology and Language Cooperation
A bilateral meeting was held between Bangladesh and China to strengthen cooperation in education, technology and language. The decision was made during a meeting on Tuesday, February 24, at the Secretariat between Chinese Ambassador to Dhaka Yao Wen and Bangladesh’s Minister of Education and Primary and Mass Education Dr. A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon.
State Minister for Education and Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj was also present at the meeting. Discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations, particularly in technical education, language education, and developing the youth population as skilled human resources.
According to meeting sources, initiatives to expand Chinese language education have already begun at several higher education institutions in the country. These include University of Dhaka, North South University, BRAC University, and joint initiatives with the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh. There are also plans to introduce Chinese language education at University of Chittagong within the current year.
The Chinese Ambassador said that a target has been set to bring approximately 10,000 students under Chinese language education. This initiative is expected to play an important role in creating employment opportunities in nearly 1,000 Chinese companies operating in Bangladesh and in building a skilled workforce for the international market. It was mentioned that by acquiring language proficiency, Bangladeshi students could gain employment opportunities in at least 17 countries worldwide.
Emphasizing technical and polytechnic education, Minister Ehsanul Haque Milon said that Bangladesh and China will jointly visit polytechnic institutes to modernize curricula, enhance technological capacity, and improve industry-oriented education systems. Courses and training structures will be reorganized in line with the needs of the industrial sector.
To expand Chinese language education, a proposal has been made to establish 300 smart classrooms initially. By setting up two classrooms per school, discussions were held on launching this facility in 150 educational institutions. In addition, proposals were made to establish nine broadcasting centers and to provide modern software and hardware to the relevant laboratories. A pilot project is already underway.
The Chinese side noted that they have successfully expanded Chinese language and technical education in various countries, such as South Africa, Cambodia, and Laos.
The meeting also revealed that Chinese authorities have expressed interest in assisting in the construction of a modern hall for female students at the University of Dhaka. Furthermore, Bangladesh will formulate a needs-based education plan for the next five years and share it with the Chinese side.
The Bangladeshi delegation has been invited to visit China on a study tour to gain practical experience by visiting technical education and technology institutions. At the same time, Chinese universities and experts have been invited to visit Bangladesh and provide recommendations for modernizing technical education institutions.
The issue of scholarships for polytechnic students was also discussed. The Chinese side assured joint cooperation upon receiving a formal proposal. It was stated that the Government of Bangladesh will submit the necessary proposals and requirement documents within the next week.
Through this cooperation, the minister expressed optimism that education and technology relations between Bangladesh and China will be further strengthened, enabling the country’s youth to acquire internationally recognized skills. He said that in light of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s education-related manifesto, Bangladesh’s education system will begin a new journey.
DBTech/SH/EH/OR
