AIII seeks to promote value-based learning

The Bangladesh Army’s growing role in the country’s education sector has taken a new turn with the launch of the Army International Islamic Institute (AIII), an English-medium institution designed to combine the Cambridge curriculum with modern education and value-based learning.

The institute was inaugurated on August 3 at Jolshiri Residential Area in the capital by Chief of Army Staff General Waker-Uz-Zaman. The initiative is being viewed as a significant addition to the Army’s expanding educational network and its long-standing emphasis on discipline, academic excellence and character building.

The AIII is not intended to remain confined to Dhaka. Campuses are planned in Savar, Bogura, Sylhet, Chattogram, Barishal, Cumilla and Jashore, reflecting an ambitious plan to extend the institution’s educational model beyond the capital. During the inauguration ceremony, the Army Chief virtually unveiled the foundation stones for the proposed institute buildings at the seven locations through a video conference.

According to the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the institute has been established to integrate the Cambridge curriculum, modern English-medium education and value-based learning. The underlying objective is to provide students with internationally oriented academic preparation while grounding their education in moral, ethical and humanitarian values.

The initiative comes at a time when demand for English-medium education and internationally recognised curricula is increasing in Bangladesh. At the same time, concerns over the development of students’ character, social responsibility and ethical awareness have made value-based education an increasingly important part of the national conversation.

The AIII seeks to address both demands. Its stated vision is to nurture students who are knowledgeable, disciplined, patriotic and morally upright, with leadership qualities and a commitment to serving society.

 The institute also intends to draw on the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah in developing students’ moral and ethical outlook. The concept represents an extension of the Bangladesh Army’s broader involvement in education. Since the Liberation War in 1971, the Army has expanded its role beyond its core responsibility of defending national sovereignty. Education has emerged as one of its most visible areas of contribution to national development.

The Army currently administers 63 Cantonment Public Schools and Colleges, 12 cadet colleges, six medical colleges, four engineering universities and institutes, two Army Institutes of Business Administration and one public university. It also operates Proyash, a specialised educational institution for children with neurodevelopmental disorders, at 10 locations.

Most of these institutions are located in or around cantonments and are open to civilian students as well as children of military personnel.

The success of many Army-run institutions has been attributed to several factors, including structured administration, close supervision, emphasis on discipline, recruitment of qualified teachers and investment in educational infrastructure.