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E-Cashbook is going to be introduced in the post-primary educational institutions of the country to ensure financial discipline, transparency and accountability. The initiative has been taken by the Directorate of Inspection and Audit of the Ministry of Education. With this end in view, a day-long workshop/seminar was arranged at Siddeswari Girls’ College, Dhaka on 17 June which was participated in by 45 teachers and officials from 15 colleges.
The main paper on the feasibility study of introducing E-Cashbook in non-government educational institutions was presented by Badrun Nahan, the Additional Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education.
Professor Md. Saiful Islam, Director of DIA was the moderator of the seminar and other discussants were Professor Khandaker Mahfuzul Alam- Joint Direct of the Directorate, Abu Sayeed Md. Fazle Elahi, Deputy Secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Division and Rahat Mannan, Deputy Secretary of Technical and Madrasa Education Division of the Ministry.
Some educationists appreciate this initiative of DIA. The President/Chairman of Bangladesh Principals’ Forum and the Ex-Treasurer of Khulna University Professor Mazharul Hannan has said, ‘ In 1980 President Ziaur Rahman established DIA where Mirza Fakrul Islam Alamir, the current Secretary General of BNP worked quite a long time.’’ He also said that it was President Ziaur Rahman who introduced equivalent scale for the non-government and government teachers for the first time which was later renamed as `Monthly Payment Order’ system or MPO in short. ’’
As the non-government educational institutions receive government money, there should be accountability and transparency. The country now sees more than 35 thousand educational institutions with and without MPO and DIA is responsible for looking after the financial, ensuring academic atmosphere and several other aspects of these institutions. So introducing E-Cashbook by them can be a milestone in this regard.
People belonging to the field of education say the introduction of E-Cashbook will give several benefits such as money transaction will be easier, buying paper books and stationery items will be squeezed. Students will show more interest in using online resource and education materials.