Education Minister Dipu Moni says she will welcome criticism

Education Minister Dipu Moni has vowed to build upon the initiatives of the previous government and improve education standards in the country by working in tandem with the deputy minister of education.

Speaking at her Secretariat office on Tuesday with Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury Nowfel seated next to her, Dipu Moni called on media members to ensure transparency and accountability in the ministry

“We are both open to criticism,” she said. “If you have any suggestion, we will definitely take it into consideration.”

Former education minister Nurul Islam Nahid was left out of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s new cabinet after heading the education ministry for a decade.

Many of Nahid’s initiatives to modernise the education system received much acclaim. But his tenure was marred by the reported incidents of exam paper leaks before tests.

The prime minister has now installed Awami League Joint General Secretary Dipu Moni as the education minister. She had previously served as the foreign minister during the government’s 2009-2014 term.

“We will try our utmost to repay the prime minister’s trust,” she said.

“The government has achieved a lot in the last 10 years. We must work to consolidate these achievements and make changes where necessary,”

The education minister said that efforts are well under way to implement the Awami League’s pledges in the election manifesto including the promises and initiatives aimed at improving the country’s education system.

“Nowfel and I will work as a team to deliver on the expectations of people in the vital field of education.”