Bangladesh should focus on work-oriented education

The economies of developed countries such as Australia largely rely on Technical and Further Education (TAFE), whereas we are producing a large number of unemployed graduates by establishing universities in large numbers. In our country, TAFE is known as polytechnic. However, even for engineering positions we are gradually reducing practical education in polytechnics and placing greater emphasis on theoretical education.   About 45 years ago, in 1981, the late President Ziaur Rahman established the Islamic Centre for Technical and Vocational Training and Research (ICTVTR) in Gazipur to address the shortage of skilled manpower among the 57 Muslim countries of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). His foresight and emphasis on work-oriented education remain a truly unique example even today.

President Ziaur Rahman deeply realized that there is no alternative to technical and vocational education for the socio-economic development of Bangladesh as well as the 57 countries of the OIC. He understood that skilled human resources could be the greatest driving force of development. From that visionary thinking, he took initiatives to connect Bangladesh's national identity more closely with the Islamic world and the Muslim Ummah so that new opportunities for economic cooperation and labor markets could be opened. After Saudi Arabia recognized Bangladesh in 1975, the initiative of his government facilitated the recruitment of Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia starting in 1976. His first visit to Saudi Arabia in 1977 as the President of Bangladesh and the formation of a Joint Economic Commission in 1978 further strengthened these relations, which expanded opportunities for exporting skilled manpower. At the same time, he moved Bangladesh away from a socialist economic structure and advanced the country toward a private sector based economy, which made participation in international labor markets easier. Today more than 3.5 million Bangladeshis are working in Saudi Arabia. This is the largest expatriate Bangladeshi community abroad, and the remittances they send play an important role in Bangladesh's economy. The pathway for this development was created through the visionary initiatives of President Zia.

Currently, there are 57 public universities, 116 private universities, and 3 international universities in the country - a total of 176 universities. It is not possible to suddenly change, merge, or abolish this system. Therefore, an integrated method of general and technical education may be adopted. Under such a system, students would have to complete two internationally recognized skills or certification programs alongside communication skills. In the first year of admission, English courses should enable students to achieve IELTS or equivalent proficiency. 

Under this integrated method, every university should have an approved or affiliated polytechnic and strong industry connections. For example, in Australia, Victoria University has Victoria Polytechnic, RMIT University has RMIT TAFE, Swinburne University has Swinburne TAFE, and Federation University has Federation TAFE. Similarly, most universities in the United States have affiliated community colleges for technical and vocational education. These polytechnics, TAFEs, or community colleges have pools of skill-based certification programs from which anyone, even a PhD graduate or a high-level official, can enroll in courses at any time, either online or offline, to develop their skills. The demand for graduates from these institutions is so high that many secure employment even before completing their studies; in many cases employers provide advance demand. Large universities such as Harvard or Oxford may not have affiliated polytechnics, but they maintain strong industry networks. Therefore, to produce job-ready graduates based on the demands of local, national, and international markets, we should consider such approaches.

The foundation of work-oriented education that the late President Ziaur Rahman established through his visionary thinking has become even more relevant in today's reality. Even in the era of the Fourth or Fifth Industrial Revolution, many practical professions will continue to depend on human skills. Therefore, if we can build an integrated system of general and technical education, our young people will become not only job seekers but also skilled professionals and entrepreneurs. If this path is followed, the country will produce a large skilled workforce, Bangladesh's position in the international labor market will become stronger, and remittance inflows will increase significantly. If President Zia's visionary initiative of work-oriented education can be implemented anew, an effective connection between education, employment, and the economy can be createdensuring national prosperity and a meaningful future for the younger generation.