Meeting on education skills was held by BOU and UNICEF
A bilateral meeting was held with the delegation of Bangladesh Open University and UNICEF on education issues regarding youth employment, quality of education and life-oriented training to enhance skills.
At that time, Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam, the Vice-Chancellor of Bangladesh Open University, was present, along with Registrar Dr. Md. Shafiqul Alam. UNICEF was represented by Education Chief Deepa Sankar, Education Manager Iqbal Hossain, Education National Consultant Didarul Anam Chowdhury, Education Specialist Shamima Siddiki, and Education Officer Rubaya Monzur. This is the first meeting between BOU and UNICEF on education in the last three decades.
Bangladesh Open University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ABM Obaidul Islam said, "The reason why we are meeting today with the UNICEF education delegation is very relevant, logical, and timely." Because BOU is an exceptional university. With 12 Regional Centres, 80 Sub-Regional Centres, and 1,545 Active Study Centres, BOU's education system is spread like a net across the country, reaching the uneducated, remote and rural areas, various professions, minority groups, neglected, people of all ages, physically challenged, struggling students, and working people.
UNICEF would also like to inform the delegation that BOU offers a wide range of courses, from Livestock and Poultry, Pisciculture and Fisheries, and Diploma in Youth Development Work to Computer Science and Application, SSC, HSC, Bachelor's, Master's, and even MPhil and PhD. Additionally, 1,285 students are taking education in various programmes at BOU Study Centres in six countries – South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Italy – to increase the self-respect, work, and language skills of the Bengali remittance workers staying in the diaspora who drive the country's economy. BOU also offers certificate courses in Chinese, Arabic, and English languages.
On the other hand, on behalf of UNICEF, Deepa Sankar said, "BOU is one of the leading educational institutions in South Asia. I hope that the potential youth of Bangladesh will benefit from the mutual cooperation of the two institutions."
It is to be noted that this is the first meeting between BOU and UNICEF on education issues in the last three decades.