Dhaka: Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Wednesday said the government has decided to set up a technical school and college in every upazila aiming to increase the rate of technical education students to 60 percent.

"The construction of 100 technical school and college buildings are going on and the construction of 389 more institutions will begin in the second phase," he said, inaugurating a regional conference on 'Technical and Vocational Education and Training' at Institute of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) at Kakrail here.

Education Secretary Md Soharab Hossain, Colombo Plan Staff College Director General Ramhari Lamichhani and Engineer AKMA Hamid addressed the function as special guests while Technical Madrasa Education Division Secretary Mohammad Alamgir was in the chair.

Nahid said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government is giving the highest priority to technical and vocational education aiming to create employment opportunities at home and abroad.

The education minister said currently there are 42 polytechnic colleges at district level. The government has decided to construct 23 more polytechnic colleges in district level, he added.

Besides, the government is constructing four women polytechnic colleges in different parts of the country, Nahid informed.

He said the government has also taken steps for training the teachers of technical education in foreign countries.

A total of 1150 teachers have already taken training in Singapore and 581 in China, Nasim said.