Usually the polytechnic institutions were established aiming at making engineers in a number of disciplines. But the institute in Jhenidah has taken a different initiative to provide trade based skill training to local youths make them capable in technical sector along with their regular curriculum.
The decision was taken by the polytechnic authority to ensure technical jobs of the unemployed youths in the locality so that they could contribute in national economy.
But a number of students, especially, male students remain absent in attending regular classes. Acute poverty of guardians of the students was mainly liable for the poor attendance in the institute, the authorities said.
A number of male students when contacted at the campus said a od number of them are engaged in income generation activities to run their family and their education costs as the guardians cannot meet the demand of their children. But they hardly try to attend the classes and contact the class teachers at a regular basis.
Acting principal of the institution Mohammad Abdur Rashid Mallik said Jhenidah polytechnic institute was established on 2.06 acres of land at Dhanharia area on the side of Jhenidah–Magura highway at a cost of Taka 31 crore. The construction work was started in 2001 and completed in four years.
A total of 1,415 students including 188 female have been studying in the institute for a four years course against eight semesters. They have been learning electric, electronics civil, environment and computer science here. The necessity of mechatronics and electro-medical subjects is felt to train up the students to cope with the modern world.
Admitting the shortage of full time teachers, the acting principal said they have been running the institute with 14 teachers including two female teachers allocated from Skills Training Enhancement Project (STEP). Further, seven part time techers have been providing services. Three officials and eleven service staffs have been serving here, the i0ncharge said. According to the acting principal, about 80 percent attendance of the students is required for smooth running of the institute. But a good number of male students cannot attend the classes regular as most of them either assist their guardians in family work or drive auto-rickshaws and vans in the town to meet their family needs and academic expenses.
Mallik said with regular curriculums, they are going to run life based trade course to local young men and women aiming at creating job for them. It will help run their families and also contribute in national economy partly.
