National University Plans to Reintroduce Rover Scouting Course

Bangladesh’s National University is planning to reintroduce a Rover Scouting course into the curricula for its bachelor’s pass and honors programs.

National University Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. A.S.M. Amanullah said the course would be redesigned to connect scouting with students’ moral education, spiritual development and social and cultural values.

He made the remarks while chairing the 156th meeting of the executive committee of the Bangladesh Scouts Rover Region at the Scouts Building in Kakrail, Dhaka, on Saturday, Aug. 22.

Amanullah said the university plans to integrate moral, spiritual and sociocultural education into the scouting curriculum to help students develop stronger ethical and humanitarian values.

The meeting discussed reconsidering a proposed one-credit scouting course for National University students. Participants agreed to prepare a concept paper examining how moral education and scouting could be integrated and how many credits the course should carry.

Amanullah also called for stronger links between scouting, volunteer work and extracurricular activities.

He said scouts would be involved as volunteers in the “Prime Minister’s Gold Cup” and stressed the need to make scouting activities more visible through a “Visible Scouting” initiative.

He said the prime minister is expected to attend an important scouting event in December and urged organizers to begin preparations immediately. He also recommended regular and structured activities, including moot events and adventure camps.

The vice-chancellor said the university would explore ways to combine scouting with third-language education. He also instructed the university’s language club to include a Rover Scout in its activities.

The university also plans to introduce an annual “Happy Learning Day” to promote scouting as part of enjoyable, creative and practical education.

Amanullah emphasized the role of scouts in environmental protection. He said the university plans to plant 20 million trees and wants scouts to participate in the initiative.

“Planting trees is not enough. We also need to ensure that the trees survive,” he said, calling on scouts to take responsibility for caring for and protecting the trees.

Amanullah also called for greater involvement of the private sector and community members in scouting programs.

“Government cannot be expected to do everything,” he said, urging philanthropists and other community-minded individuals to support scouting initiatives.

The meeting also discussed plans to increase Rover Scouts’ involvement in leadership development, volunteer service, ethics, social responsibility and extracurricular activities.

Among those attending were Prof. Dr. Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, director general of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and commissioner of the Bangladesh Scouts Rover Region; National University Registrar Molla Mahfuz Al-Hossain; Bangladesh Scouts Rover Region Vice President Prof. Md. Shahidul Islam; Treasurer Prof. A.K.M. Selim Chowdhury; and chairmen of the Chattogram, Sylhet and Mymensingh education boards, among other executive committee members.

The National University Public Relations Office issued a press release on Saturday confirming the information. The release was signed by Taiyeba Tasnim Siraj, acting director of the university’s public relations office.