Reviewing some under-implementation projects of the ministry at a meeting with ministers and top officials, she expressed dissatisfaction at corruption and misappropriation of funds, especially in the women stipend programme and non-implementation of some projects.

The premier directed the authorities to form a duel-monitoring cell at the Prime Minister's Office and the education ministry to cut corruption and asked the officials to review all projects, pinpoint loopholes and take steps to correct them.

Khaleda asked the officials to add speed to the implementation of the projects, step up monitoring for ensuring standards of education, ensure attendance of girls to schools and create jobs for the educated youth.

The meeting reviewed the pace of implementation of some key programmes including the women stipend programme, technical education, and scientific equipment and rapid reading material projects.

"The attendance of girls to schools is poor, but funds are being disbursed," a meeting source quoted the prime minister as saying.

She also underscored the need for strengthening supervision of technical education, especially of textile, leather, glass and ceramic technology.

Quoting a recent report, she told the meeting that most of the 54 projects under the ministry could not move ahead because of lack of coordination and inefficient management.

Education Minister M Osman Farruk, State Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon and Secretary Mohammad Shahidul Alam attended the meeting.

Sources said the prime minister took them to task as the ministry failed to implement many projects in time and even could not utilise the funds of some others.

Tk 20 crore allocated for purchasing scientific equipment and books under the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education long remained unutilised.

Khaleda asked them to utilise the fund on rapid reading materials that supplement students' learning process.

She also asked to immediately implement the science and technology university project at Noakhali.

Only three of such universities have so far been set up at Patuakhali, Tangail and Dinajpur.

Education Secretary Mohammad Shahidul Alam said 54 of the ministry's 69 projects were under implementation, while 15 were in the queue.

Twenty-three projects will be completed this year, while the rest will be carried forward, he said.

He said the ministry did not get funds for 15 projects. Some projects are to finish by 2007, he added.

The prime minister last month abandoned the Total Literacy Movement (TLM) because of allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds by the officials concerned and lack of quality.

The TLM project was taken to eradicate illiteracy.