Private education institutions across Bangladesh have strongly opposed the government’s new decision regarding the fifth-grade scholarship examination. After nationwide protests and demonstrations failed to bring any change, representatives of private schools have finally turned to the courts.
The controversy began on July 17, when the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education issued a notification stating that only students of government primary schools, PTI-affiliated model schools, and government secondary school–affiliated primary schools would be eligible to sit for the 2025 fifth-grade government scholarship examination.
Historically, students who completed primary school were allowed to take scholarship exams based on merit, and those who made the merit list received a monthly scholarship. However, the scholarship exam was discontinued in 2009 when the Primary Education Completion Examination (PECE) was introduced.
The scholarship exam was reintroduced in 2022, allowing both government and private school students to participate, although it was not held in 2023 and 2024. After the interim government assumed office, the initiative to resume the scholarship exam was revived. This time, however, the notification allowed only government school students to take part.
Excluding private school students sparked nationwide debate. Students, parents, and teachers from private institutions staged protests across the country against the decision.
Although the ministry issued a statement justifying the move, private school representatives rejected the arguments as “illogical” and sought judicial intervention to challenge the decision.
A ministry official said that the aggrieved parties had filed a writ petition against the notification, and the court subsequently issued a two-month stay on the notification. The ministry is now preparing to appeal the ruling.
According to official data, Bangladesh has a total of 114,630 primary schools, of which 65,567 are government institutions. The government has included all students from these schools under the scholarship programme.
In total, 19,713,685 students are enrolled in primary education across government and private institutions.
On the other hand, the Bangladesh Kindergarten Unity Council, representing private primary schools, states that the country has nearly 50,000 private primary schools, with over 10 million students enrolled.
Mohammad Rezaul Haque, General Secretary of the council, said, “Excluding private school students from the fifth-grade scholarship exam would be unfair to nearly half of the country’s students.
“These children would face state-imposed inequality at the very beginning of their lives.”
He added, “Many private schools provide higher quality education compared to government schools. The ministry is using its administrative weaknesses to penalise almost one crore students in private schools.”
However, another official of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education dismissed the allegations, stating, “Children from more progressive families are enrolled in private schools at an early stage.
“Even if these children attended government schools, their results would still be good. Private schools are not the reason for disparities.”
The official further told Times of Bangladesh that the government is appointing high-quality teachers through competitive exams, including BCS recruitment, to improve education standards in government primary schools.
There is also a deliberate effort to attract children from progressive sections of society to government schools.
Following the protests by private institutions, the ministry issued a statement on August 2, arguing that private school students are financially well-off, while the majority of government school students come from underprivileged families.
The ministry described the scholarship exam as a financial incentive for these students.
Parents and teachers of private schools rejected this reasoning, asserting that the scholarship exam is a recognition of children’s academic merit, not a financial incentive.
They also raised questions about certain points in the ministry’s statement. Ministry officials, however, declined to comment, stating that it is a matter for higher authorities.
Private school teachers and parents told Times of Bangladesh that government schools already provide scholarships and incentives to ensure compulsory primary education from pre-primary to fifth grade.
Government school students appear for the annual primary completion exam with these benefits, while the scholarship exam is held separately afterward. They questioned why private school students are being barred from taking the exam.
They argued that just as everyone can sit for SSC and HSC exams, all students should have the opportunity to participate in the fifth-grade scholarship exam.
Iskandar Ali Howlader, President of the Kindergarten Unity Council, said, “The Directorate of Primary Education has noted that since a writ petition has been filed against the ministry’s decision, discussion on this matter should be deferred until the court delivers a final verdict.”
On September 2, the court issued a two-month stay on the notification issued on July 17. The ruling also requires the ministry to explain why the directive preventing private schools from participating in the exam should not be declared unlawful.
Joynul Abedin Joy, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, said, “Just as government primary schools have ‘EIIN’ numbers, private schools also have them. Both update their data on the Upazila Education Office websites.
“Even free textbooks provided by the government reach private school students.”
He added, “Private schools are accountable, and their education standards have improved significantly.
“The ministry, failing to improve government schools, is imposing a discriminatory decision on nearly one crore private school students to cover its administrative weaknesses.”
Abu Nur Md Shamsuzzaman, Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education, said he was unaware of the court’s stay. However, documents obtained by Times of Bangladesh show that the Directorate received a copy of the court order on September 8.
The fifth-grade scholarship exam is scheduled to be held in December this year. On the issue, DG Shamsuzzaman said, “We are conducting the scholarship exam for government school students as per the ministry’s directives.
“Implementing ministry instructions is our responsibility. We do not make decisions independently, but we must follow any court ruling if it is issued.”
