In the changed context, she emphasised producing more engineers, rather than general graduates, to cater to the practical needs of the country.

"We have to give more importance to science and technology, particularly information technology," she told a function of the National University.

The programme was organised to distribute gold medals to 19 students who stood first class first in honours examinations in 2001 held under the affiliating university.

Khaleda Zia, founder-chancellor of the National University, set up in 1992 to bring all colleges under one umbrella, also distributed cheques for prize money to 38 colleges selected on the basis of their results in degree examinations of 2001 and 2002.

The specific objectives of the National University are to improve the standard of education at graduate and post-graduate levels in the colleges, modernise their syllabi and impart training to the college teachers.

The PM also distributed cheques for procuring teaching apparatus and equipment to 78 colleges in the six divisions on behalf of the varsity.

The function was held with Vice-chancellor Professor Aftab Ahmed in the chair at the Osmani Memorial Auditorium. State Minister for Education ASM Ehsanul Huq Milon, Pro-VC Prof M Khalilur Rahman, Pro-VC Prof M Aminul Islam, Treasurer Prof Syed Abul Kalam Azad and Education Secretary Mohammad Shahidul Alam also addressed the function.

The prime minister said future of the country and the nation depends on "how much efficiently we can groom up the new generation with standard and the right education".

About the importance laid on education by her government, Khaleda Zia said the intention is not only to provide degrees but education that will help attain practical knowledge, foster human values and a mentality to succeed in the competitions of practical life.

"In the present competitive modern world, there is no alternative to building up the future generation as human resources," she asserted.

"Good education is imperative to stimulate independent thoughts and consciousness to work for national development," the prime minister said, reminding that the national education commission has been formed to draw an outline of the sort of education that suits the needs of the 21st century.

She expressed her hope that implementation of the proposed education policy would help groom the future generation as architects of a prosperous, respectable and self-reliant Bangladesh.