The Rover Scouting course is set to be reintroduced into the curricula of the National University’s bachelor’s pass and honours programmes.

National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr ASM Amanullah said the course would be redesigned by integrating scouting with moral education, spiritual development and socio-cultural values to make it modern and globally relevant.

He made the remarks while addressing the 156th meeting of the Regional Executive Committee of Bangladesh Scouts Rover Region at the Scouts Bhaban in the capital’s Kakrail on Saturday.

Dr Amanullah said the redesign will create an opportunity to develop students with strong ethical and human values.

The meeting also reconsidered the proposal to introduce a one-credit scouting course for National University students. It was decided that a concept paper would be prepared on the matter.

The authorities will also explore whether moral education and scouting can be integrated into a single course and determine the appropriate number of credits, he said.

The vice-chancellor stressed the need to link scouting more closely with academic, volunteer and extracurricular activities.

Scouts will be engaged as volunteers at the Prime Minister’s Gold Cup, he said, stressing the need to ensure “visible scouting” to make scouting activities more prominent.

He also directed the inclusion of a Rover Scout in the university’s language club activities.

Emphasising the involvement of scouts in environmental conservation, Professor Amanullah said, “We will plant 20 million trees. We want to involve scouts in this programme.”

“Planting trees alone will not be enough; necessary measures must also be taken to ensure their survival,” he said, urging scouts to play a responsible role in caring for and protecting the trees.

Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and Commissioner of Bangladesh Scouts Rover Region Professor Dr Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, National University Registrar Molla Mahfuz Al-Hossain, Bangladesh Scouts Rover Region Vice-President Professor Md Shahidul Islam, and Treasurer Professor AKM Selim Chowdhury were present at the meeting.