An admission fair for English medium schools is underway in Dhaka to help parents make informed decisions about their children’s education, with both online and in-person components running until 5 May.
The in-person event is being held at the Gulshan Shooting Club from 10am to 6pm, where parents can speak directly with representatives of participating schools for admission information from playgroup through A-Level.
The fair is jointly organised by the British Council and Prothom Alo, managed by CHS Education Limited, with Prime Bank PLC as the banking partner.
According to organisers, interest in British curriculum-based education is growing in the country, particularly among middle-class families. However, due to a lack of reliable information, many parents find it difficult to make the right decision.
“Although there are many schools, parents typically only know the names of a few institutions. Opportunities to learn in detail about costs and facilities are also limited,” said Chief Digital Business Officer of Prothom Alo ABM Jabed Sultan.
He said the fair aims to address that problem. “Even with a one-day event for the first time, we received a good response. There are plans to expand it into a multi-day event on a larger scale in the future.”
Head of External and International Affairs of Chattogram Grammar School Dhaka Sabrina Yasmin Siddique said, “Alongside the British curriculum, we observe various national days. In many cases, our students also perform well in Bengali. At today’s fair, we are offering discounts of up to 75 percent.”
Moumita Jahan of Don Sumdany Facilitation and Consultancy said the organisation is working on developing soft skills for teenagers, holding one physical and one online class weekly. “We are trying to bring Bengali and English medium students onto one platform,” she said.
Hasnin Rahman of Bangladesh International Tutorial said, “With 43 years of experience, we have a large campus. In addition to martial arts, French and Chinese languages are taught here. Bengali is compulsory, and equal facilities are ensured at every campus.”
Some parents expressed reservations. Robiul Alam, who came to enrol his child, said, “Many good schools did not come here. Although a few good institutions are present, most are new. In some cases, the campuses are not as expected. Although discounts are being offered on admission fees, tuition fees are not being reduced. We are also checking whether Bengali culture is being taught.”
Approximately 40 institutions are participating online and 16 offline, organisers said. Separate stalls have been arranged for each institution, where visitors can learn about curricula, infrastructure, co-curricular activities and admission processes.
A gaming zone and various participatory activities for children have been arranged, along with a question-and-answer session in the afternoon. A raffle draw with attractive prizes will also be held after the fair concludes.
Participating institutions include Froebel Play School, Froebel Academy, Insight International School, Guidance International School, Daffodil International School, New Horizon Canadian International School, Whetstone International School, Bangladesh International Tutorial, Canadian International School Bangladesh, and Haileybury Bhaluka, along with various British Council partner schools.
Organised under the slogan ‘Right Decision, Bright Future’, the fair aims to serve as an information-rich platform for parents navigating the competitive education landscape.
