Everyone Wants GPA-5, Nobody Wants Creative Education: Education Minister

Education and Primary & Mass Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milan has stated that while everyone in the country clamors for a GPA-5, there is a distinct lack of interest in fostering creative education. Speaking as the Chief Guest at the Dean’s Award ceremony held at the central auditorium of Jagannath University (JnU) on Wednesday (June 17), the Minister emphasized the need to utilize the nation's human resource potential.

"What the rest of the world lacks, we possess—an abundance of human resources. We must effectively utilize this asset. The Prime Minister has placed immense weight on technical education, prioritizing the education sector above all else."

— Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milan, Education Minister

Addressing the recipients, the Education Minister remarked that through the Dean's Award, students will be able to translate their academic capabilities into tangible contributions to society.

Reflecting on past challenges within the national curriculum infrastructure, the Minister recalled the logistical difficulties faced by the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) during his previous tenure. He noted that during that period, textbooks were printed in the printing presses of Banglabazar, during which several illegal activities had to be halted with the assistance of JnU students. He sharply criticized past administrative figures, stating that a former Vice-Chancellor of the university had once expressed a desire to lead a political wing, thereby degrading the sanctity of the educational institution.

The Minister credited former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia for her exceptional contributions to the development of the education system, specifically highlighting the introduction of female student stipends and the elevation of Jagannath College into a full-fledged university. He assured the audience that the current administration is committed to preventing any structural weaknesses in the country's education framework.

Furthermore, he outlined the government's budgetary vision for the sector, noting that the education budget has reached 2% of the GDP this year, with plans to elevate it to 3.5% next year, and gradually scale it up to 5%. Regarding infrastructure development, the Minister added that the government is actively evaluating the feasibility of constructing a residential hall at JnU’s second campus within the span of a single year.

The inaugural address at the event was delivered by Professor Dr. Parimal Bala, the Convener of the Dean’s Award Committee 2026. The high-profile academic gathering was attended by Jagannath University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. Md. Rais Uddin, Education Secretary Abdul Khaleque, Treasurer Professor Dr. Sabina Sharmin, Dhaka-7信 Constituency Member of Parliament Hamidur Rahman Hamid, and JnU Teachers' Association President Professor Dr. Monjur Morshed Bhuiyan. Faculty members, student representatives, and members of the Jagannath University Central Students' Union (JAKSU) were also in attendance.

The prestigious Dean’s Award was conferred upon a total of 129 exceptionally high-achieving students across multiple academic sessions. This included 25 students each from the 2016-17 and 2017-18 sessions, 26 students from the 2018-19 session, and a maximum of 28 students from the 2019-20 session.

Among the awardees, Ava Rahman, a student from the Department of Microbiology under the Faculty of Life and Earth Sciences (2019-20 session), achieved a historic milestone. She secured the absolute top position on the merit roster by obtaining a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.00 out of 4.00 in her undergraduate program.