Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said there is no need for group separation in class nine and all students can take up same subjects up to Secondary School Certificate (SSC) level to unleash their merit.

“I think that there is no need to have this (group) separation at all,” she said while distributing the Prime Minister Gold Medal-2018 to 172 meritorious students from public and private universities for outstanding academic achievements.

The award giving ceremony, under the auspices of University Grants Commission (UGC), was held at Shapla Hall of the Prime Minister’s Office.

Sheikh Hasina said everyone has to keep pace with the modern technology based era. She said once students were not interested to study science. In Bangladesh the group separation takes place at class nine.

“To me, there’s no need for this group separation at all because everyone can study all subjects until SSC. It’s better to have group separation after SSC, at least the students can have the chance to flourish their merits,” she said.

In this connection, she said many countries including the USA do not have this kind of group separation. The Prime Minister said during the Pakistan regime the then president Ayub Khan had introduced this system in 1963.

“I think it is better to not have this,” she added.

She also said that all subjects are now related to science and there is nothing beyond the purview of science.

Talking about the fourth industrial revolution, the Prime Minister said technology based industries are growing and that will be flourished further.

“We’ll need our population. If we can build up our people with proper education and skill then there will be no problem for us at all, rather we can help other countries also. We want to work that way,” she said.

She emphasised the diversification of education which will pave way for employment abroad and advance the country simultaneously.

“For the development of education and having an educated nation, we’ll do whatever’s needed,” she said.

UGC Chairman Professor Dr Kazi Shahidullah presided over the ceremony. Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, Education Secretary Mahbub Hossain also spoke at the programme.

Department of Fisheries Technology of Bangladesh Agriculture University Mobarok Hossain and Department of Management Studies of Jagannath University Sharmin Sultana expressed their feelings in favour of the medal recipients.

The Prime Minister put emphasis on strengthening the supervision of UGC on every university of the country. “We want the UGC will supervise every university of the country extensively.”

In this connection, she said there should be a uniform policy for all universities to appoint teachers and employees. “There should be seat limitation for a particular university to ensure standard of education,” she said.

Prime Minister Hasina said the government is taking steps to expand the areas of UGC through strengthening it, increasing its workforce and skill.

“We’re taking steps to bring everything under discipline. We’ve enacted the Private University Act, accountability of the academic and administrative activities of the private universities have been ensured, which was absent in the past,” she said.

The Prime Minister also put emphasis on establishing specialised universities in different areas of the country. Putting emphasis on research activities, she said that it is not possible to reach the peak of development without research.