If Bangladesh truly aspires to become a progressive, stable, and knowledge-driven nation, then modernising primary education is no longer optional. Primary education remains the most important foundation upon which a nation’s future is built. It is at this stage that a child’s intellectual ability, moral values, creativity, discipline, and civic consciousness begin to take shape. From that perspective, the ambitious plans, political goodwill, and modern educational vision recently presented by the current BNP government regarding primary education are undoubtedly promising, timely, and politically significant.
BNP Chairperson and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had already described education as the nation’s greatest investment in his electoral commitments. His stated goal is to establish a modern, employment-oriented, production-oriented, and time-appropriate education system capable of preparing future generations for the demands of a rapidly changing world. As part of implementing that vision, the government is preparing a record allocation for the education sector in the national budget for the 2026 to 2027 fiscal year.
In the upcoming budget, the allocation for the Secondary and Higher Education Division is expected to rise to Tk50.3 crore. At the same time, the allocation for the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education is being increased to Tk42.1 crore from the previous Tk35.4 crore. The Annual Development Programme has also earmarked Tk 40.3 crore for education-related projects. These figures reflect an important shift in state priorities and a recognition that no meaningful national transformation is possible without investing heavily in education.
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect is that the government is not focusing solely on infrastructure development. It is also attempting to address the qualitative transformation of learning itself. Initiatives such as “One Teacher, One Tab,” free WiFi, multimedia classrooms, robotics, and maker corners represent a future-oriented educational vision. The effort to cultivate creativity, analytical ability, technological adaptability, and problem-solving skills among children through technology-based learning deserves appreciation. At the same time, the introduction of “Learning with Play” could gradually transform primary education from a fear-based, examination-driven system into a joyful, participatory learning experience.
The government is also emphasising nutrition, healthcare, and social equality alongside technology. Midday meal programmes, the distribution of jute-made school bags and uniforms, healthcare protection for female students, and a stronger focus on inclusive education indicate an attempt to build a humane education system rather than a purely mechanical one. Plans for special support programmes for dropout students, greater community engagement, and stronger parental participation also appear realistic and necessary in the context of Bangladesh’s socioeconomic realities.
Yet despite these ambitious initiatives, the challenges facing Bangladesh’s primary education system remain enormous. The first and perhaps deepest problem is structural inequality. Bangladesh currently operates multiple parallel streams of primary education, including government primary schools, English medium institutions, Qawmi and Ebtedayee madrasa systems, NGO operated schools, and pre-cadet institutions. As a result, the country has yet to establish a unified and standardised primary education structure capable of ensuring equal opportunities for all children.
The divide between urban and rural education remains deeply alarming. While children in major cities increasingly gain access to digital classrooms and technological learning facilities, many rural students still struggle to secure adequate textbooks, stationery, nutritious meals, and even safe classrooms. In remote regions, children often walk long distances to attend schools that lack proper seating arrangements, sanitation facilities, or trained teachers. Under such circumstances, expecting equal educational outcomes becomes unrealistic.
Another undeniable challenge lies in teacher quality and professional capacity. Technology alone cannot modernise education. Teachers must possess the training, confidence, and professional skills necessary to use technology effectively inside classrooms. For the “One Teacher, One Tab” initiative to succeed, Bangladesh will require intensive teacher training, effective monitoring systems, and strong accountability mechanisms. Otherwise, the programme risks becoming little more than another device distribution project without meaningful impact on classroom learning.
Poverty and child labour remain equally devastating barriers. Recent data suggest that child labour is once again increasing in Bangladesh. Many children are entering the labour market at an early age to support their families financially. For a hungry child, survival naturally becomes more urgent than textbooks or classroom lessons. Consequently, even if school enrollment rates improve, ensuring regular attendance and continuity in learning becomes far more difficult. This is precisely why school feeding and midday meal programmes are critically important. However, maintaining the nutritional quality, transparency, and sustainability of such programmes presents another major governance challenge.
One of the deepest structural weaknesses within Bangladesh’s primary education system is the lack of awareness among sections of parents and the growing fear of school among children themselves. Particularly among poor and vulnerable families, education is still often viewed through the lens of immediate economic survival rather than long-term human development.
At the same time, the learning environment in many schools remains far from child-friendly. Across the country, many government primary schools still lack playgrounds, hygienic toilet facilities, access to safe drinking water, and secure classrooms. For female students especially, the absence of proper sanitation and safe environments often contributes directly to school avoidance and dropout. In reality, education in many institutions still revolves around memorisation, examination scores, and monotonous discipline-driven routines.
International experience consistently demonstrates that unless primary education becomes participation-based, play-oriented, and child-centred, the intellectual and emotional development of children cannot fully flourish.
The lack of social accountability also remains a serious structural challenge. Education cannot be treated solely as the responsibility of the government. It is a shared responsibility involving the state, society, communities, and families. Yet school management committees often fail to function effectively because of political influence, institutional weakness, or irregularities. Local representatives, parents, and civil society members also remain insufficiently engaged in monitoring educational quality and school environments.
Consequently, teacher absenteeism, poor classroom instruction, weak infrastructure, and rising dropout rates often evolve into invisible crises. Education experts argue that meaningful reform becomes possible only when schools are transformed into centres of active social partnership. Regular mothers’ gatherings, meetings with parents, community monitoring, home visits, and stronger local accountability mechanisms could significantly improve both attendance and learning outcomes. Accountability among teachers, head teachers, and education administrators must also be ensured.
Bangladesh has already demonstrated several notable achievements in primary education. Dropout rates have declined, enrollment has increased, and textbook distribution and stipend programmes have generated positive results over the years. If the current government can combine political goodwill with realistic planning, effective management, institutional transparency, and strict oversight, genuine transformation in primary education remains possible.
The writer is a political analyst, poet, and fictional writer
