Prime Minister Tarique Rahman stated that teaching can never be treated as a "destitute alternative" or a conventional job. To ensure that the brightest minds in education choose teaching as their primary career path, the government is comprehensively restructuring teacher recruitment and the overall education system.

"We believe the dignity and prestige of the state are intertwined with the honor and respect of teachers. When a teacher's status is preserved in society, the prestige of the state increases,"

the Prime Minister said.

He made these remarks on Monday (October 5) as the chief guest at the national-level "Guni Shikshok Shommanona" (Distinguished Teachers' Award) ceremony celebrating World Teachers' Day at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka. Selected teachers across various categories, ranging from primary to higher education, received the honor.

This year's World Teachers' Day theme is: "Valuing Teachers' Voices: Towards a New Social Contract for Education" (or Teachers at the heart of education recovery / Stands for Teachers: 60 Years of Occupational Protection, Status Development and Shaping Our Future as translated from the context).

The Prime Minister extended his heartfelt respects to teachers across all primary and secondary schools, colleges, madrasas, technical institutions, and universities nationwide. He also congratulated the educators honored as "Distinguished Teachers" based on their merit and qualifications.

"If teachers can become the 'needs and loved ones' of their students, confronting global challenges as good citizens through education will become much easier," he remarked.

Describing teachers as the ultimate "ideal role models" for every student after they step beyond the boundaries of family schooling, the Prime Minister noted that the government is formulating and implementing plans so teachers can present themselves with confidence.

"In this rapid era of social media and artificial intelligence, there is no alternative to acquiring technical and practical education beyond conventional methods. Therefore, reforming 'learning' and 'teaching' strategies and modernizing the syllabus is the demand of the times," he said.

Announcing that the government has formulated a new syllabus based on contemporary realities, he added, "Students will receive books according to the new syllabus within this year itself."

Tarique Rahman emphasized that "learning" and "teaching" methods are critical to preventing students from turning away from books. Instead of mere memorization, the questions "why" and "how" must be ignited in students' minds. Once curiosity is sparked, a student can become their own teacher.

"Joyful learning" has gained popularity worldwide, especially among school-level students, he noted. For the first time in Bangladesh, at the initiative of the Ministry of Education, a new book titled "Learning with Happiness" is being handed to sixth-grade students, with similar books to be introduced in other grades sequentially.

Pointing out that the current education system presents vast opportunities alongside major challenges, the Prime Minister noted that artificial intelligence has expanded access to knowledge, making technical and practical skills indispensable over certificate-based learning.

Acknowledging that rapid technological progress creates new challenges for educators, he stated, "To meet the challenges of the times, it is essential to further modernize Teachers' Training Colleges."

"We do not want to see technology as a replacement for the teacher. Rather, technology will be the teacher's strength. With this goal, the government is advancing the 'One Teacher, One Tablet' program," he said.

Under this initiative, teachers will be able to utilize digital lesson plans, question banks, track student learning progress, and access necessary teaching materials via tablets. Multimedia classrooms and free Wi-Fi facilities are also being expanded across educational institutions in the country.

"The government wants to build an education system where no child is deprived of schooling. It is also crucial to ensure that anyone who drops out at any stage of their educational life does not remain unemployed," he asserted.

Calling the education sector the current government's top priority, he highlighted, "For the first time in the country's history, the highest allocation in the national budget has been given to the education sector. This budget will be increased further in phases."

Detailing the scope of secondary education, he stated that the country currently has nearly 21,000 secondary-level institutions, where over 300,000 teachers educate more than a million students. A large portion of this tier relies on private and MPO-enrolled institutions.

While acknowledging existing disparities in educational opportunities between urban and rural areas, he affirmed that the government has diverse plans to ensure students in both cities and villages have access to skilled teachers and modern technology.

Outlining the government's vision for education reform, the Prime Minister said its core foundation is equal opportunity, quality education, and non-discriminatory access.

Noting that employment is not the sole purpose of education despite the need for vocational training, he emphasized, "Building morality and character is also one of the primary objectives of education. If knowledge is not coupled with morality, it can become a source of harm to society rather than welfare."

Urging that values such as truthfulness, a sense of responsibility, empathy, patriotism, humanity, discipline, and respect for others be made an integral part of education, he stated,

"After families, teachers play the most important role in inspiring moral values in students."

Highlighting various government steps to ensure financial security for teachers and make the profession more prestigious and competitive, the Prime Minister said work is underway, particularly for primary, secondary, and higher secondary teachers.

"To attract talented individuals to the teaching profession, teacher recruitment and the education system are being overhauled as necessary," he added.

Furthermore, the Prime Minister announced that instructions are being issued to relevant authorities to ensure that, starting this year based on a policy guideline, at least one primary and one secondary school teacher is mandatorily invited to state banquets and national events like Independence Day and Victory Day at state residences.

"Whether a teacher is currently active or in retirement, they remain honorable to the state throughout their life because of their noble profession," he stated.

Addressing administrative bottlenecks, the Prime Minister directed that harassment regarding teachers' salaries and pensions be ended.

"A teacher should not have to struggle and run around offices just for salary or pension. Their entitled funds must reach them through the bank in a timely and orderly manner."

"The country's teachers are one of the primary tools for building a knowledge-based state and society," he concluded.

The event was presided over by Education Minister Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Huq Milan. Other speakers included National Professor Dr. Mahbub Ullah, Prime Minister's Spokesperson and Advisor Mahdy Amin, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj, and Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Education Chairman Md. Selim Bhuiyan, among others.