In recent developments, primary education in the country has seen significant progress, with approximately 98% of children now attending school. Additionally, the dropout rate has significantly decreased, thanks to various initiatives taken by the government.
One of the key measures implemented by the government is the distribution of free books to students on the first day of the academic year. In the academic year 2023 alone, an impressive total of 35 crore books were distributed among students, with about 10 crores of them provided to primary school students and 25 crores for high school students. This program has not only helped in enhancing literacy but also brought joy to students who are delighted to receive new and shiny books.
Furthermore, the government has introduced a stipend program to support primary school students. Approximately 1.5 million primary school students now receive a stipend of BDT 100 per month, which is disbursed through Rupali Bank’s Sure Cash, ensuring that the money reaches the hands of the student’s mothers. Parent meetings are organized at schools for the distribution of stipend money.
In addition to the stipend, the government is providing an extra 500 Tk for the purchase of educational materials as part of Mujib Barsha initiatives. This additional benefit will reach one crore of forty lakh primary school students nationwide.
Another noteworthy program that has contributed to the increase in student enrollment is the ‘Mid Day Meal’ program. Initially launched in various government primary schools, the program is set to be introduced in all primary schools during the Mujib year, as it has already received approval from the cabinet.
To further improve the quality of education, the government is actively working on creating digital classrooms in primary schools. Currently, more than 22,000 multimedia projectors and 1 laptop have been distributed to approximately 53,689 government primary schools, out of the total of around 65,000 schools in the country.
The efforts have yielded significant results. According to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the school attendance rate has reached an impressive 97.95 percent, a considerable improvement compared to the 51 percent rate recorded in 1972. Moreover, the dropout rate has decreased to 17.9 percent from 47 percent in 2005 to 20 percent in 2015.
The government is determined to further reduce the dropout rate to zero by 2024, and several measures are being implemented to achieve this goal. The State Minister of Primary and Mass Education, Zakir Hossain, emphasized that all programs are designed to ensure that every child in the country is enrolled in school. Special focus is given to placing children with special needs in schools, and various activities, including the distribution of assistive devices, have been undertaken for this purpose.
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