2,716 edu institutions brought under MPO

The government recently brought 2,716 more educational institutions across the country under the Monthly Pay Order (MPO) scheme.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made the announcement on Wednesday during the inauguration of the first campus-based business incubator at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology through video links from her official residence Ganabhaban.

She said, “If a nation is not educated, the nation can never prosper. Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had said that spending money on education is an investment, so we do not see it as spending.”

She also said the father of the nation nationalised the primary schools after independence while around 36,000 schools have been nationalised after Awami League returned to power.

Later, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni at a briefing at her secretariat office presented details regarding the new MPO listed institutions.

Of the total 2,716 new MPO beneficiaries, a total of 2,051 schools and colleges are from the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Education Ministry. Of them, 666 are lower secondary schools, 1,122 secondary schools, 136 higher secondary schools, 109 higher secondary colleges, and 18 degree colleges.

The new MPO list also includes some 665 educational institutions under the Technical and Madrasah education division of the Education Ministry. These are 97 SSC vocational or Dakhil vocational, 200 SSC business management and technology, two diplomas in agriculture, 264 Dakhil Madrasah, 85 Alim Madrasah, six Fazil Madrasah and 11 Kamil Madrasah.

Education minister said the new 2,716 MPO listed institutions will be added to the existing 26,448 MPO beneficiary educational institutions across the country.