Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon has said that despite multiple initiatives for education sector development, many measures cannot be implemented due to legal complications.
The minister said around 83,000 cases are currently pending in the education sector. He added that this legal backlog is severely hampering the teacher recruitment process.
Milon made the remarks on Sunday morning while inaugurating a workshop titled “Analysis of Bangladesh’s Education Sector” in Dhaka’s Banani area, organised by UNICEF Bangladesh.
Primary and Mass Education State Minister Bobby Hajjaj attended the event as a special guest.
The education minister said the government is working to ensure joyful learning for students. He said sports and cultural education are being integrated into the curriculum. He also said various projects, including school uniforms and mid-day meals, have been introduced to reduce dropout rates at the primary level. Special attention has also been given to sanitation issues.
Referring to the education budget, the minister said, “The current government has allocated the highest ever share for education compared to previous periods, which stands at 2 per cent of the total budget.”
“However, learning outcomes remain unsatisfactory” he added.
Milon noted that the government is identifying problems and working to resolve them. He also warned that child marriage will not be tolerated anywhere in the country.
State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said efforts are underway to bring primary, secondary, higher secondary and tertiary education under a unified framework. He said the government is committed to reducing the cost of primary education.
Bobby Hajjaj added that pre-primary classes will be introduced in all schools, and measures taken for primary education development will be implemented within 180 days of the government’s timeline.
He noted that parents are increasingly turning to kindergarten schools, claiming dissatisfaction with the quality of education in government primary schools. He said the government is working to improve primary education quality and stressed that future spending will be evaluated based on outcomes.
On teacher transfers, Bobby Hajjaj said a large syndicate had developed in the past over postings. He added that from now on, transfers of primary-level teachers will be handled by local administration. He also said no teacher will be allowed in classrooms without training after two years.
Bobby Hajjaj further said sports and cultural education will be made compulsory at the primary level under the 2027 curriculum. A fixed school calendar will also be introduced for primary schools.
He said the government is working to overhaul the curriculum, teacher system, infrastructure and administration. He added that this budget has, for the first time, ensured proper allocation for the education sector.
