ECNEC nods project to establish 329 technical schools & colleges

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved a Tk 20,525.69 crore project to set up some 329 technical school and colleges at upazila level in a bid to build skilled Human Resources in the country.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with ECNEC chairperson and prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, planning minister MA Mannan said that a total of eight projects were approved involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 22,945.84 crore to be entirely borne from the state exchequer.

Of the approved eight projects, six are new while two others are revised projects.

The planning minister said the establishment of 329 technical school and colleges at upazila level (2nd phase) is like a “star project” of the government since it wants to make the youth technically skilled.

Mannan said that various types of technical trainings is very much necessary to groom the youth suitable for joining the labour market abroad and thus boost the inward remittance flow.

The planning minister said prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities concerned to impart proper training to the teachers of these technical schools.

He said the PM even directed the authorities concerned to undertake a ‘crash programme’ for providing intensive training to the teachers and if necessary sending them abroad.

The Directorate of Technical Education under the Ministry of Education will implement the project by December 2024 in a bid to create employment opportunities and skilled Human Resources to successfully face the challenges of future job market.

Besides, SSC (vocational) and HSC (vocational) courses would be launched in those new technical school and colleges as well as technical and stipend education will be expanded across the country. Apart from this, four trade and four short-term para trade courses would also be introduced in these proposed new technical school & colleges.

The new project operations include some 984 acres of land acquisition and some 984 acres of land development, construction of some 22,55,624 square meters of academic cum workshop and administrative building, some 1,88,600 square meters of teachers’ dormitories, 9,23,174 square meters of female students hostel alongside other necessary construction works.

"The prime minister also asked the authorities to further strengthen the waste management system at the industrial sector as well as setting up Central Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) where it is necessary," he added.

The planning minister informed that the PM also underscored the need for keeping water bodies or water reservoirs nearby any establishment or any project infrastructure to be set up. She also directed the architects to keep adequate ventilation system and verandas in the government buildings.

The prime minister renewed her directives to the project officials to refrain from wastage and any misuse during implementation of the development schemes side by side completing those in the stipulated timeframe, he said.

Answering to a question, the planning minister said the government is aware of the fact that the development projects often experience time over-run and it is also trying its best to reduce such time over-run.

Mannan said delay in land acquisition is still the number one problem in project implementation which the government is trying to address with extreme care while the government is also pursuing so that the project directors remain in their project sites during the implementation period.

He said the government pursues the policy of not constructing any new road, rather to strengthen and widen the existing roads and highways with constructing necessary underpasses and overpasses.

The other projects approved in the meeting are Establishment of BSCIC Industrial Park, Sirajganj, 3rd revised, with an additional cost of Tk 91.11 crore, Construction of Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) building with enhancement of its capacity with Tk 143.30 crore, Establishment of Sheikh Hasina Medical College & Hospital and Nursing College, 1st revised with an additional cost of Tk 233.92 crore, Development of selected educational institutions at Haor areas in Kishoreganj with Tk 393.41 crore, Upgrading Betgram-Tala-Paikgachha-Koira Road into due standard with Tk 339.58 crore, Construction of Laxmipur road connecting road and Laxmipur-Char Alexander-Sonapur-Maizdi road widening with Tk 369.43 crore and Bhola (Poran Talukderhat)-Charfashion (Charmanika) regional highway development with Tk 849.40 crore.

Ministers and state ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and Secretaries concerned were present.