Bangladesh needs an education system that goes beyond producing certificates and equips students with the skills and capabilities needed to enter the workforce, Prime Minister’s Education Adviser Dr Mahdi Amin has said.

He made the remarks on Friday (21 August) at a two-day national policy-making discussion in Savar on transforming and improving the quality of higher education in Bangladesh.

Dr Amin said students should not be limited to acquiring academic knowledge alone. Their skills and capabilities must be developed in line with real-life needs and the demands of the job market.

“This requires necessary changes to the education system,” he said.

He called for curricula to be designed in a way that reflects the realities of students’ lives, while opportunities should be expanded for them to gain practical experience and essential skills alongside their studies.

The education adviser also stressed the need to introduce on-campus part-time employment opportunities at universities to help improve students’ employability.

He said opportunities to gain work experience while studying would play an important role in preparing students for their future careers.

Dr Amin also highlighted the need for effective measures to curb the growing tendency among highly educated young people to seek opportunities abroad and to address the problem of brain drain.

The discussion brought together vice-chancellors and teachers to explore ways of improving the quality of higher education, modernising curricula and making education more employment-oriented.

Participants in the discussion stressed the need for effective policy and institutional measures to bring about meaningful improvements in the quality of higher education in Bangladesh.