The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a Tk 20,525.69 crore project to set up 329 technical schools and colleges in the upazila level in a bid to create skilled manpower in the country.

The approval came from a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the ECNEC chairman held at the NEC Conference Room in the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar today.

While briefing reporters, Planning Minister MA Mannan said a total of eight projects, with an estimated cost of Tk 22,945.84 crore was given the green light in the meeting. The entire fund would be supplied from the state exchequer.

Of the approved projects, six were new while the rest were revised ones.

Establishment of 329 technical schools and colleges at the upazila level was a “star project” of the government which was in its second phase now, the minister said.

Technical trainings were necessary to groom the youth to help them join the global labour market and boost inward remittance flow, he added.

In the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina asked the authorities concerned to give proper trainings to teachers of technical schools across the country.

The premier asked them to undertake a “crash programme” to provide extensive trainings to the teachers and send them abroad if necessary, the minister told reporters.

The Directorate of Technical Education under the Ministry of Education will implement the project by December 2024.

SSC (vocational) and HSC (vocational) courses and stipends will be offered in those institutions. Moreover, four trade and four short-term para trade courses will be introduced in the proposed organisations.

The project includes acquisition of 984 acres of land, construction of 22,55,624 square meters of academic cum workshop and administrative buildings, about 1,88,600 square meters of teachers’ dormitories, 9,23,174 square meters of girls’ hostels.