National University is set to introduce Language Clubs at all its affiliated colleges and educational institutions nationwide to strengthen students’ language and communication skills. The initiative, announced through the university’s public relations office on July 30, is intended to help students prepare for the international labour market and the modern information technology era. Students will be able to develop skills in their mother tongue as well as international languages, particularly English, Mandarin, Japanese and others.

Each club will hold regular language practice and speaking sessions alongside public speaking, debates, presentations, reading, literary and cultural activities, seminars, workshops and language-based competitions. The clubs will also provide access to technology-based language-learning tools in addition to direct instruction. University authorities said the programme was adopted because students needed an integrated platform to improve language proficiency, with expected benefits for employment, higher education and international communication.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr A. S. M. Amanullah said the clubs aim to remove students’ hesitation and fear so they can speak and express themselves fluently in English or another third language. Teachers, guardians and education stakeholders welcomed the plan, especially for students in remote colleges. A workshop involving Dhaka metropolitan colleges is planned soon, while guidelines are being prepared for distribution to relevant institutions.