2,730 more educational institutions brought under MPO scheme

Some 2,730 new educational institutions have been brought under the monthly pay order (MPO) scheme across the country as the Prime Minister disclosed the names of the newly-enlisted institutes.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina revealed the names at an event at her official residence Ganobhaban in the city on Wednesday.

The new MPO scheme will take retrospective effect from July this year.

The 2,730 newly-enlisted institutions include 1,651 schools and colleges, 557 madrasahs and 522 technical and vocational institutes as per the new list.

Among the schools and colleges, there are 439 junior secondary schools (Class VI-VIII), 995 secondary schools (VI-X), 68 higher secondary schools, 93 colleges (XI-XII) and 56 degree colleges (XIII-XV).

There are 357 Dakhil, 128 Alim, 42 Fazil and 29 Kamil institutes among the eligible 557 madrasahs.

The 522 technical and vocational institutes are 62 agriculture institutes, 48 vocational (independent), 129 vocational (affiliated), 175 BM (independent) and 108 BM (affiliated) ones.

Addressing the function, the Prime Minister asked the 2,730 newly-enlisted institutions to uphold all the conditions mentioned in the MPO policy to continue their names under the MPO system.

“The conditions will have to be maintained. If any institution fails to maintain the conditions, the institution will be excluded from the MPO enlistment,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina urged the newly-enlisted institutions to improve the quality of education and create education-friendly atmosphere for building children as worthy citizens to make Bangladesh a hunger-poverty-free country as dreamt by Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

She said the government will bring institutions, which are really needed and fulfill the conditions described in the policy, under the MPO scheme in the future. “Those who want to come under the MPO scheme will have to follow these directives (conditions of the policy).”

The Prime Minister, however, said the government in some cases relaxes the MPO conditions for the institutions located in remote areas, including haor, hilly, char and inaccessible areas.

The government brings the institutions located in the remote areas under the MPO scheme on special consideration.

She said her government also brought Qawmi madrasahs under the certificate system as tens of thousands of Qawmi students having unapproved (not govt approved) certificates are being neglected in the job market and even in oversees ones. “Many employers don’t want to recruit anyone without government-approved certificates,” she said.

“So, they needed the institutional approval (government-approved certificates). It would not be fair to only neglect them or put blame on them (Qawmi students),” Hasina said.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni also spoke on the occasion, while Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury (Nowfel) was present.

Senior Secretary to the Secondary and Higher Education Division Md Sohorab Hossain delivered the welcome speech.

In 2010, a total of 1,624 educational institutions were brought under the MPO scheme.