'IQ Test' for Primary Students Essential for Edu Reform: Dr. Bidhan

Adviser Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy Podder chaired a meeting today at the ministry, where the Clinical Psychology Department of Dhaka University presented their proposed IQ Test manual. Photo: PID

Speaking at a meeting where a presentation on the development of an IQ test manual was made by the Clinical Psychology Department of Dhaka University, Dr. Podder urged all stakeholders to work with dedication and sincerity towards this initiative. "This method will be crucial in shaping the future of our educational system," he said, according to a press release from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.

The ministry has already initiated steps to create a standardized IQ test to evaluate the cognitive abilities of government primary school students. The meeting, which was chaired by Abu Taher Md. Masud Rana, Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, featured insights from Dr. Mohammad Kamruzzaman Majumder, Professor of Clinical Psychology at Dhaka University, who presented the proposal for the IQ test manual.

Also present at the meeting were key figures including Masud Akhter Khan, Chairman of the inter-ministerial committee for the development of the IQ test; Hazera Khatun, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare; Dr. Md. Shahanur Hossain, Chairman of the Department of Clinical Psychology; Dr. Helal Uddin Ahmed, Professor at the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Md. Zahir Uddin, Assistant Professor at the National Institute of Mental Health; Dr. Md. Ataul Gani and Md. Lutfur Rahman, Directors of the Directorate of Primary Education; and Dr. Syed Zakir Hossain, Professor at the Directorate of Health.

In line with the initiative, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education formed an eight-member inter-ministerial committee on January 14. The committee, chaired by the Additional Secretary (Schools), will oversee the development and implementation of the IQ test. Its members include representatives from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the Health Services Division, the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Department of Health, the Department of Social Services, and the National Academy of Primary Education. The committee's work will be coordinated by the Deputy Secretary (School 2) of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, who will serve as the member secretary.

The ministry's efforts aim to create a robust framework to assess and enhance the cognitive development of primary school students, ensuring that the country's educational system is well-equipped to meet the needs of its young learners.