In a parliamentary session on Sunday, Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon disclosed that the government is currently re-evaluating the prevailing primary school admission procedures.
He stated that a final determination regarding the 2027 admission framework will be reached only after comprehensive consultations with relevant stakeholders.
Addressing a supplementary query from MP Abul Hasnat Abdullah (Cumilla), the minister noted that while metropolitan hubs like Dhaka face significant admission demand, rural institutions typically do not experience such intense competition due to lower student concentrations.
Minister Milon expressed personal reservations concerning the existing lottery-based selection process, which was originally implemented to mitigate admission pressures in urban schools, remarking that he considers the system to be lacking in logic.
To ensure the 2027 system is well-informed, he announced that the government intends to facilitate seminars and discussions involving parents and other stakeholders to gauge public sentiment.
During the proceedings, Hasnat Abdullah voiced anxieties regarding the transition from merit-based selections to the lottery system at the primary level.
The lawmaker contended that this shift has compromised the standards of feeder institutions, which he argued ultimately diminishes the calibre of students entering the university system.
The member of Parliament questioned the feasibility of an inclusive education model while the nation maintains three distinct tracks – Bangla medium, English medium, and madrasa education – asserting that these divisions often mirror the economic status of families.
In his reply, the education minister conceded that the presence of multiple educational streams is a reality in Bangladesh and acknowledged that their integration is a sophisticated undertaking.
The minister confirmed that a dedicated committee has already been established to bring English-medium schools under a regulatory structure that corresponds with national policies.
Additionally, he noted that efforts have commenced to reform Ebtedayee (primary madrasa) education and to identify strategies for incorporating the Qawmi stream into a broader national framework.
Minister Milon concluded by stating that initiatives are being pursued to progressively coordinate these diverse educational tracks to foster a more unified national system in the years ahead.
