AI should support teachers, not replace them: PM on World Teachers’ Day

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Monday said artificial intelligence and other technologies should support teachers rather than replace them, stressing the need to modernise Bangladesh’s education system to prepare students for a rapidly changing world.

“We do not want to see technology as a substitute for teachers. Rather, technology will be a tool for teachers,” he said while addressing a discussion marking World Teachers’ Day 2026 at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium in Dhaka.

Tarique said the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and social media has made it necessary to move beyond traditional teaching methods and modernise both teaching strategies and the curriculum.

“Technical and practical education has become essential. Therefore, changing teaching and learning strategies and modernising the education curriculum have become a necessity of the time,” he said.

He said the government is working on a new curriculum and hoped students would receive textbooks based on it this year.

The Prime Minister stressed that students should not simply memorise information but should develop the habit of asking “why” and “how”.

“If students can develop the habit of asking why and how, they can gradually become their own teachers,” he said.

AI to be used as a teaching tool

Tarique said the government would advance the “One Teacher, One Tab” programme so teachers can use tablets for digital lesson plans, question banks, monitoring students’ learning progress and accessing educational materials.

He also called for modernising teacher-training colleges to equip teachers with the skills needed to respond to changing educational requirements.

The government is taking initiatives to expand multimedia classes and free Wi-Fi facilities in educational institutions across the country, he said.

Tarique said the government’s approach is to use technology to strengthen teachers’ capabilities rather than undermine their role in education.

Education system needs wider reform

The Prime Minister said the government wants to build an education system in which no child is deprived of education or forced to drop out at any stage.

He said education has received the highest priority from the government and that the country has allocated its highest-ever budget for the sector.

“We have plans to increase the education budget further over the next five years to achieve the targets we have set,” he said.

Tarique acknowledged disparities in educational opportunities between urban and rural areas and said the government is working to ensure students across the country have access to qualified teachers and modern technology.

He said the government’s education reform vision is based on equal opportunities, quality education and non-discriminatory access.

He also highlighted the importance of joyful learning, saying the government introduced a book titled “Learning with Happiness” for Class VI students for the first time this year, with plans to gradually extend the initiative to other classes.

Teachers’ dignity and financial security

Tarique said teachers must receive greater dignity, professional opportunities and financial security if teaching is to attract talented people.

“Teaching can never be a last resort or just another ordinary job,” he said.

He said the government wants talented people to choose teaching as their first career option.

“The dignity of teachers in the state and society is linked to the dignity of the state itself,” he said.

The Prime Minister also instructed the relevant ministry to ensure teachers do not have to visit government offices repeatedly to receive their salaries or retirement benefits.

“A teacher should not have to suffer by going from office to office for their salary or retirement benefits. Their entitled payments must reach them through banks on time and according to the rules,” he said.

He directed the relevant authorities to ensure that, from this year, at least one primary school teacher and one secondary school teacher are invited to state functions marking major national days, including Independence Day and Victory Day.

Education must go beyond employment

The Prime Minister said employment-oriented education is necessary given the country’s needs, but employment should not be regarded as the sole purpose of education.

“Ethics and character building should certainly be the main objectives of education,” he said.

“If knowledge is not connected with morality, that knowledge may become a cause of harm to society instead of contributing to its welfare,” Tarique said.

He stressed that truthfulness, responsibility, empathy, patriotism, humanity, discipline and respect for others should be integral to education.

At the World Teachers’ Day programme, 102 distinguished teachers from different levels of education were honoured for their contributions to education and nation-building.

Each teacher received 200,000 taka, a crest and a certificate of recognition.