The UGC has finalized the draft of the Blended Learning Policy

The Bangladesh University Grants Commission (UGC) has finalized a draft blended learning policy that incorporates physical and online education in higher education. The draft policy emphasizes that Bangladesh should not lag behind in higher education. The final draft policy titled 'Blended Learning for Bangladesh' will be sent to the Ministry of Education soon for government approval. The draft Blended Learning Policy was finalized on Wednesday at a virtual meeting of the Committee on Policy Making Policy on Up-to-date Teaching: Teaching System in Higher Education by combining online and onsite education system. UGC member Professor Biswajit Chanda, a member of the commission chaired the meeting. Members of UGC, Professor Dr. Dil Afroza Begum, Professor Dr. Md. Sajjad Hossain, Professor Dr. Muhammad Alamgir; Professor Dr. Sanjay Kumar Adhikari, a member of the Bangladesh Accreditation Council; Dr. Kazi Mohaimin As-Sakib, Professor of the Institute of Information Technology, University of Dhaka; Dr. Khademul Islam, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Rajshahi University; Professor of Civil Engineering, Dr. A. F. M. Saiful Amin, a professor of Civil Engineering Dpartment of  Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)  and IMCT Director (Additional Responsibilities) Mohammad Makshudur Rahman Bhuiyan and senior officials were present in the meeting. The draft Blended Learning Policy proposes physical and virtual teaching. If a student is deprived of the opportunity of physical education, he will be able to recover from the loss of education from the recorded class. There will be ample opportunities for multimedia content for effective remedial education. Professor Dr. Biswajit Chanda said that if this policy is finalized, classroom education will be more participatory. Students will be able to effectively participate in the teaching process. This will have a positive effect on the learning-teaching process. Students will enjoy teaching as a result of using different types of resources in the classroom. Their confidence will increase in the participatory learning process. Blended learning methods will prevent students from dropping out and make them job-friendly in a competitive world. He further said that the formulation of Blended Learning Policy on the golden jubilee of Mujib Year and Independence is a milestone for the country and it is also a great achievement for higher education. He thinks that if blended learning is introduced, it will be possible to keep the education system running in any future disaster. Professor Dr. Biswajit Chanda advised the universities to prepare for the implementation of Blended Learning and increase capacity and develop technical infrastructure.