President M Abdul Hamid on Sunday asked the authorities concerned to plan the academic curriculum in line with the labour market.
"We need to plan an academic curriculum in line with the labour market. It is often seen that students cannot study as per their interests and preferences," he said at a discussion organised on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The Association of Private Universities of Bangladesh (APUB) organized the program at a city hotel.
President Hamid said that Bangladesh has already evolved from a least developed to a developing country and the government has set a target to become a developed country by 2041.
"In order to achieve this goal, we have to make our young generation educated and skilled," he said.
"Skilled manpower needs to be created in education, health, agriculture, economy, trade and commerce, engineering, and information technology," he said.
The president called for ensuring that the university education does not become certificate-based in any way.
He suggested that the private universities keep some seats tuition fee-free for the poor and meritorious students.
He also urged the university teachers to come forward in research work.
Education Minister Dipu Moni, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel spoke in the program while APUB Chairman Kabair Hossain presided over it.
