Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday said his government intends to integrate sports, culture, and innovation into the education system to make the students as worthy citizens of the country to cope with the technology-driven world.
“This is not an idea that came to us overnight. It has been part of our long-term planning,” he told a national “Startup, Science Project and Innovation Idea Showcasing” at Bangladesh-China Friendship International Conference Center.
Earlier, he launched a nationwide tree plantation campaign for secondary level educational institutions across the country.
Pointing to his Education Adviser, Mahdi Amin who was seated beside him, Tarique Rahman said for the past ten years, they have been planning how to bring out the talents that already exist among the students.
“When Mahdi Amin was studying at Oxford, we sat together and discussed the ideas. We said that if we ever had the opportunity to serve the country, these were the initiatives we would implement,” he said.
The premier said the government’s initiatives are centered on students, as they will become the future leaders of Bangladesh.
“Our entire effort is focused on you because we are here today, but we will not be here forever. You will remain. In the future, you will lead Bangladesh,” he told the students.
“Every initiative we undertake must produce meaningful outcomes that will help build Bangladesh’s future. At the same time, these efforts will enable Bangladesh to compete more effectively with other countries,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government is committed to preparing the country’s future generation.
“That is why we have decided to introduce several additional foreign languages, including English, as third-language options from Grade 6 through Grade 12. We want students to learn languages that will allow them to communicate confidently both at home and abroad. We also want to foster innovation alongside language education,” he said.
He said the government also plans to include a wider range of sports in the school curriculum.
“This will allow students to become more skilled in the sports they enjoy. At the same time, we want to introduce technical and vocational education from Grade 6 onward, giving students an additional practical skill,” he said
The programme began with the singing of the national anthem, followed by recitations from the various religious scriptures. A documentary was also screened.
More than 1,000 students and teachers from across the country attended the event.
Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, PM’s Education Adviser Mahdi Amin and Secondary and Higher Education Division Secretary Abdul Khaleque were present as Director General of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), Professor Dr. Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel delivered the welcome address.
Student representatives from various schools and colleges shared their experiences and thanked the Prime Minister for organizing such an initiative.
The national event was launched nationwide on June 12 to encourage innovation, scientific inquiry, and entrepreneurship among students.
The programme, involving students and teachers from Grades 6 to 12, was conducted in three phases—upazila or thana, district, and national levels.
At today’s event, winners from each stage were honoured. The Prime Minister and his spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman presented each winning student team with a Taka 20,000 cheque, medals, and certificates, while the winning teachers received Taka 30,000 cheques and certificates.
The programme was organized for the first time under the Educational Excellence Support Scheme of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) under the Ministry of Education.
Addressing the young audience, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of discipline and cleanliness.
“We all need to be disciplined. We must also pay attention to cleanliness. If you visit many countries around the world, you will see that their roads, gardens, and public places are clean,” he said.
He added: “Our streets are often littered with garbage. No one from outside comes to make our country dirty—we do it ourselves. We should all work together to keep our country clean”.
He urged students to keep roads and public places clean and discourage others from littering.
Congratulating the students, the Prime Minister said, “Whether you won an award today or not, I congratulate all of you. Those who did not win should not be discouraged. Prepare yourselves with greater determination for next year.”
Addressing the teachers, he said, “You are the architects of our future generations. If you provide the children with the right guidance, the country will move in the right direction. Much depends on you. I know you face many challenges. We cannot solve all those problems overnight, but we will address them gradually.”
He emphasized that a nation’s greatest asset is a generation equipped with education, humanity, and moral values.
“If our future generations possess education, compassion and values, there will be no greater national asset than this. If we can nurture and utilize this asset properly, we will be able to build the Bangladesh we aspire for.”
At the programme, commemorative plaques were presented to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his spouse Dr Zubaida Rahman. The event concluded with a cultural performance by students.
St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, Dhaka, was named the champion team in the ‘Startup, Science Project and Innovation Idea Showcasing’ competition.
Earlier, the prime minister visited the exhibition, where he observed students’ science projects, startup initiatives, and innovative ideas.
Praising their creativity and innovative thinking of the students, he assured them of giving government’s full support to grow further.