Staff Correspondent

The government has taken a move to introduce a programme to modernise the existing systems and establish new institutions to provide training to technical teachers on topics related to the 'industrial revolution' and modern technology.

It is set to launch a major initiative titled 'TVET Teachers for the Future (TTF) Programme', aimed at modernising the training system for technical and vocational education teachers involving  Tk 2,009.32 crore.

The programme will be implemented by the Directorate of Technical Education under the Technical and Madrasah Education Division.

Of the total cost, Tk 209.32 crore will come from the national exchequer and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Tk 1,800 crore in project loans.

The project will be implemented in Dhaka North, Chattogram, Khulna, Barishal, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rangpur City Corporations and Bogura Sadar Upazila by December, 2029.

Under the initiative, new training institutions will be set up and existing facilities will be modernised to enhance the capacity of technical teacher training in Bangladesh.

The project will focus on equipping teachers with knowledge and skills aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and emerging technologies.

Key components of the project include the construction of residential and non-residential buildings, procurement of engineering and other equipment, computer and ICT accessories, as well as both domestic and overseas training for technical educators.

There are currently 55,304 technical teachers in Bangladesh, of them 20.52 percent are women (Banbase, 2022), according to the project document.

Currently, the scope of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is increasing, so it is necessary to bring the quality of technical education in line with international standards, it said.

It is necessary to include soft skills necessary to increase the chances of getting a job and technologies related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution in technical education programmes.

In order to ensure quality training facilities for technical teachers at all levels of government and private sector in the country and to increase the scope of training, the project titled TVET Teachers for the Future (TTF) Programme was proposed by the Directorate of Technical Education.

The Planning Commission thinks that the project will modernise the existing training system and establish new institutions to increase the opportunities for technical teacher training, including training technical teachers in subjects related to the Fourth Industrial Revolution and modern technology, which will play an important role in increasing employment.

According to the ADB, the TVET Teachers for Future (TTF) programme will support the government of Bangladesh's Integrated TVET Development Action Plan (ITDAP) to improve equitable availability of qualified TVET teachers, especially outside of Dhaka.

The programme will benefit at least 10,000 new and existing TVET teachers within its period and establish a system for continuous professional development that will substantially improve the quality and relevance of TVET in Bangladesh.