State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj on Thursday said the government is working to expand the opportunities for graduates pursuing higher education in various creative subjects, including music, fine arts and drama, to join teaching in primary schools in the country.
He said skilled and trained human resources are needed to increase the practice of arts and culture in primary education.
“And, to this end, the ministry has taken an effective initiative with the relevant experts,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at ‘Rabindra-Nazrul Festival’, organised by the Music Department at Jagannath University in the morning.
In the wake of the discussion created on the initiative to include cultural education in primary education, the state minister said this is not a matter of controversy, but rather it is an important means of developing children’s creativity, morality, self-expression and human values.
He said music, literature, recitation, drama, painting or kirat all create equal opportunities for children to express themselves.
Bobby Hajjaj further said that it has been decided to include cultural education in the new curriculum of primary education.
Under this education, students will get a direct opportunity to participate in recitation, kirat, speech, music, dance, drama and other creative activities, he said.
The state minister also said, “We want students of music, drama and fine arts to also join the teaching profession in the future and play a leading role in this mental and creative development of children.”
He urged all to play a positive role in the interest of the overall development of children without creating unnecessary controversy on this issue.
Chairman of the Music Department at Jagannath University Dr Anima Roy presided over the meeting.
The vice-chancellor of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam University, treasurer of Jagannath University, the director general of Bangla Academy, deans of various faculties of Jagannath University, teachers and students of various departments were also present at the programme.
