PM pledges full support to promote mathematics education

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has pledged all necessary government support to expand mathematics education and Olympiad programmes across the country, assuring medal-winning students from the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) and European Girls' Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO) of continued backing during a courtesy meeting on Thursday.

The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's Office in the Cabinet Division of the Secretariat on Thursday (13 August), where the medallists shared their experiences and achievements from the competitions before receiving the prime minister's congratulations and well-wishes for future success, according to Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Swadhin. During the meeting, the Bangladesh Girls' Mathematical Foundation (BGMF) sought the premier's cooperation in expanding grassroots Olympiad activities, while the Bangladesh Mathematical Olympiad Committee (BdMO) proposed introducing activity-based mathematics instruction at the school level -- both of which received the prime minister's immediate endorsement, along with instant approval for funding through the Ministry of Education to support and expand school-level Olympiad programmes.

A further proposal for a standalone mathematics proficiency test for school teachers, modelled on the IELTS framework used to assess English language proficiency, was also presented, and the prime minister assured it would be given due consideration. He reiterated that the government stood ready to extend whatever assistance might be required in future to broaden the practice of mathematics and Olympiad activities nationwide.

Among those present at the meeting were Education and Primary and Mass Education Minister Dr A N M Ehsanul Haque Milon, prime ministerial adviser and PMO spokesperson Mahdi Amin, IMO national coach Mahbubul Alam Mojumder, BGMF Chair Professor Sadia Hamid Kazi, and BdMO member Md Abdul Hakim Khan. The medal-winning students received by the prime minister included Monami Zaman of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College (IMO and EGMO bronze), Md Rayhan Siddiquee of Chittagong College (IMO silver), Zawad Hameem Chowdhury of Dhaka Imperial College (IMO bronze), Mohammad Marzuq Rahman of Cantonment English School and College (IMO bronze), Tahsin Khan of Ananda Mohan College (IMO bronze), M Jamiul Hossain of RAJUK Uttara Model School and College (IMO bronze), and Saji Sehnai, also of RAJUK Uttara Model School and College (EGMO bronze).

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