Remarks

As-salaamu alaikum, namaskar, shubhodin, good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be here today at the UCEP Dhaka Technical School. I am pleased to have the opportunity to congratulate the Cyber Schools project team for their vision to close the digital divide, to narrow the gender gap, to improve the basic and technical skills of underprivileged children, and to make their work sustainable after the project period is complete. 

Recently, I returned from America Week in Khulna. I am always heartened by trips outside Dhaka and the chance to talk to businesspeople. They remind me how much potential there is in the business community in this country. However, one thing I hear over and over again is that businesses here have great difficulty in finding qualified job applicants. Businesspeople regularly tell me about the lack of quality technical education, in many schools. 

Technical education is almost non-existent in Bangladeshi classrooms below the university level. Generally only students from wealthy families have access to a well-rounded education that includes computers. But Cyber Schools Bangladesh realizes that the future depends on all citizens having access to information, regardless of their socio-economic status or gender.  

When Cyber Schools began its project, its leaders did so because they understand that Bangladesh will never be economically competitive without women and men, poor and rich, having the opportunity for education—meaning one which includes an understanding of today’s workplace technology.  

You are all aware of the challenges facing Bangladesh’s labor force and technical training. You know your nation far better than I do. However, as a friend, I urge you to deliver to your leaders the message that modern education for all Bangladeshis is vital for national development. When an educational system is strong, a nation’s children are strong and its future is bright. It is for this reason that I am so encouraged by the efforts of groups like Cyber Schools and others as they strive to improve the educational environment in Bangladesh. To these groups, I offer my congratulations and my thanks. 

Dhonnobad

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Note:  A Bangla translation of this article is also available from The American Center.  If you are interested in the translation, please call The American Center Press Section (Tel: 8813440-4, Fax: 9881677; e-mail: DhakaPA@state.gov; Website: dhaka.usembassy.gov).