The government is set to provide free school uniforms, bags, shoes, and socks to 1.07 crore students enrolled in government primary schools across the country.
On Monday, during an inter-ministerial preparatory meeting held at the Ministry of Textiles and Jute regarding the distribution of eco-friendly jute school bags to primary students, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj announced that this initiative has been undertaken in accordance with the government’s election manifesto and the directives of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Final preparations have been completed to implement a pilot programme for this purpose in July.
He further noted that a comprehensive action plan has been adopted to supply these items, with the first phase of the pilot programme encompassing several hundred thousand students.
As part of this initiative, the Ministry of Textiles and Jute will provide 5 lakh jute school bags. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives (LGRD) will offer overall assistance in implementing the programme at the upazila and local levels to ensure the swift delivery of items to the students.
Bobby Hajjaj expressed hope that the nationwide pilot programme would commence before the government completes its first 180 days in office. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to formally inaugurate the scheme. Initially, over 1 lakh students will be included, with uniforms, bags, shoes, and socks reaching more than 4 lakh students gradually through July, August, September, and October.
He further said that the programme would be expanded on a larger scale next year based on the successful implementation of the pilot. There are plans to bring about a revolutionary change in the primary education system under PEDP-5, as the government remains committed to the overall qualitative improvement of primary education under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Extending his gratitude to the Ministry of Textiles and Jute and the LGRD Ministry, Bobby Hajjaj remarked that various ministries are working collectively to make educational development a national priority, as ensuring a student-friendly environment is the foundation for building a prosperous Bangladesh.
The meeting was also attended by the state minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, Minister for Textiles and Jute Md Shariful Alam, and the Secretaries of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, among other officials.
Earlier on 4 June he shared this information during an exchange meeting with representatives of the country’s leading footwear brands at the ministry’s conference room.
