Bangladesh Government Approves National Qualifications Framework

The government has approved on 31 January 2021 the Bangladesh National Qualification Framework (BNQF).  The BNQF is an internationally benchmarked instrument for the development, classification and recognition of skills, knowledge and competencies along a continuum of agreed levels.  The framework describes the learning outcomes and volume of learning of students corresponding to each qualification.

The declaration of approval was extended during a virtual meeting of the Steering Committee of Bangladesh Qualifications Framework, chaired by Education Minister Dr. Dipu Moni. With the framework’s approval, the Bangladesh Accreditation Board will gain momentum in its activities. The said uniform framework for higher education was developed by combining the National Qualifications Framework of Bangladesh formulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in 2019 and the Bangladesh Qualifications Framework formulated by the Department of Technical Education in 2020. It will be known as Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework.

Under the framework, the entire education system has been divided into two parts with a total of 10 steps and these are: Pre-Bachelor Education (Level 1 to 6) and Higher Education (Level 7 to 10). Deputy Minister of Education Barrister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury; Secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Md. Mahbub Hossain; Secretary of Technical and Madrasha Education Md. Aminul Islam Khan; Secretary of Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Golam Md. Hasibul Alam; Executive Chairman of National Skills Development Authority Dulal Krishna Saha; UGC Member Professor Muhammad Alamgir; BAC Member Professor Sanjay Kumar Adhikari; among others were present at the meeting.