Like other countries around the globe, Bangladesh will observe International Literacy Day 2023 on Thursday in a befitting manner.
This year's theme of the day is 'Promoting Literacy for a World in Transition: Building the Foundation for Sustainable and Peaceful Societies'.
Special supplements will be published in newspapers tomorrow highlighting the significance of the day.
Besides, programmes will be aired on Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private television channels while short messages will be sent to mobile phones on this day.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the eve of the day wishing all programmes of the day a success.
The president, in his message, said following the education philosophy of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and under the prudent leadership of Bangabandhu's worthy daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the government is taking and implementing multifaceted initiatives for the development of education.
In order to ensure the quality of education and make it inclusive, various initiatives have been taken, including necessary steps to make education enjoyable for students by ensuring admission to all school-age children, providing free tuition and textbooks, providing stipends to primary students, introducing school feeding in poverty-stricken areas and conducting teaching as well as co-educational activities, the head of the state added.
The president called upon the government along with the local people's representatives, non-governmental organizations and civil society to work together to materialize 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by the father of the nation to ensure quality education for all.
The prime minister, in her message, the greatest Bangalee of all time and the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had included the right to compulsory education in the constitution for all students up to a certain level.
He took a revolutionary step in the field of education by nationalising 36,165 schools despite limited financial resources in the war-torn country at that time, the premier added.
In light of the educational philosophy of Bangabandhu, the Awami League-led government has given the highest priority to the education sector and taken various steps for its overall development, she said.
Appreciable success has been achieved in the education sector as a result of the adoption and implementation of various timely programmes by the government in the last 14.5 years, she continued.
The literacy rate has increased from 46.66 per cent in 2007 to 76.08 per cent at present, she mentioned.
Besides, various types of scholarships and stipends are being provided among students, she said, adding that the number of public and private universities in the country has been increased to bring the benefits of higher education to the doorsteps of the people of the country.
Considering the importance of science and technology-based education, especially keeping in mind the fourth industrial revolution (4IR), the government has taken various steps to ensure the benefits of ICT and digital technologies in education management and educational programmes, she added.
The premier hoped that it would be possible to build a developed and prosperous 'Sonar Bangladesh' as dreamt by the father of the nation by 2041 by achieving a cent per cent literacy and developing skilled human resources.
She sought united efforts of all to ensure the quality of education and an inclusive education system in this regard.
The 8th of September was proclaimed as International Literacy Day by UNESCO in 1966 to remind the international community of the importance of literacy for individuals, communities and societies, and the need for intensified efforts towards more literate societies.
The issue of literacy is a key component of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals and the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
