UK military school to help cadet colleges improve English teaching

The Duke of York’s Royal Military School has entered into a partnership agreement with Faujdarhat Cadet College and Feni Girls' Cadet College to improve English teaching.

The deal signed on Thursday in Dhaka was part of an ongoing two-year British programme for improving teaching skills in Bangladesh’s cadet colleges.

Apart from improving English teaching skills, the partnership will also witness a series of engagements including teacher exchanges.

The Executive Principal of the Duke of York’s Royal Military School Christopher Russell, and the principals of Faujdarhat Cadet College and Feni Girls' Cadet College signed the letter of partnership on Thursday.

Acting British High Commissioner in Dhaka Mark Clayton witnessed the signing, among others.

The High Commission in Dhaka says this new partnership will help to develop “leadership qualities and citizenship through cadet exchanges, cadet level military exercises, leadership challenges, adventure training, and sports”.

Upon completing the programme, teachers will receive a British Council-recognised teaching qualification certificate.

During the signing, the Executive Principal Russell said his school pledges its “total support” to this new partnership and especially its “sustainability”.

He said he had visited these two cadet colleges and found the culture of teaching and learning and the development of character and resilience in both colleges “nothing short of inspirational”.

The UK is one of the largest bilateral development partners of Bangladesh.

Its development arm, DfID, runs several programmes in the education sector particularly for primary education.

Acting High Commissioner Clayton welcomed the new partnership.

“We are delighted to work with the cadet colleges of Bangladesh who are well known to have produced excellent graduates who are now leaders in different fields of the society,” he said.

Referring to UK’s global reputation in the field of education and skills, he believed that through this partnership, “all the institutions involved will learn from one another”.

“This can only strengthen even further the existing strong and deep ties between the UK and Bangladesh,” he said.

A total of 120 teachers have been trained in modern teaching methods across the 12 cadet colleges so far under the cadet college programme.