In a bid to raise awareness among students on road accidents and its consequences, the government has decided to introduce lessons on road use and road safely in pre-primary level textbooks from the next academic year.
The decision was made yesterday at a meeting of the Education Ministry, presided over by its Joint Secretary Ruhi Rahman.
The ministry took the initiative after receiving a suggestion from the Road Transport and Highways Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges.
“The government is going to include lessons on road use and road safety in the pre-primary textbooks from 2015 academic year. The ministry will also hold a seminar with stakeholders seeking their opinion on the matter,” Ruhi said.
The Road Transport Division earlier sent its concept papers to the Education Ministry and the Primary and Mass Education Ministry, requesting the ministries to include such lessons in pre-primary, primary and secondary level textbooks. However, as the Education Ministry found such topics already being discussed in primary and secondary textbooks, it decided to include chapters in the pre-primary level.
The meeting came a day after a fatal road accident at Baraigram upazila of Natore that killed at least 33 people and injured many others.
Officials, who attended the meeting, said lessons like proper uses of footpaths, roads, zebra crossings and foot-over bridges have been recommended for the proposed curriculum.
According to the plan, children will also be given lessons on how to move or walk on the roads, traffic rules and signals, consequences of road accidents, among others.