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Barely two days into assuming office, the new government rolled out a 12-point roadmap on education – a move widely welcomed, though educationists argue that framing an entirely new education policy is essential to address the country’s ground realities.
Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon and State Minister Bobby Hajjaj laid out their vision for the sector on Thursday at the Secretariat.
The roadmap touches on a broad range of concerns, including the education budget, curriculum reform, language instruction, and accountability mechanisms.
Prof Mohammad Mojibur Rahman of the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka told the Daily Sun, “We need a new education policy. The existing 2010 policy is 15 years old, outdated, and inconsistent. It simply cannot be accepted in the current form.”
“We must establish an Education Reform Commission to formulate a solid policy, which should then serve as the foundation for any changes to the curriculum and textbooks. We need to stop the practice of randomly deleting poems or stories,” he said, criticising some points of the roadmap.
“Language learning and vocational education should be offered as facilities or options, not forced requirements. As a guardian and a student of education, I believe it is a parent’s right to choose their child’s path – whether it is literature or vocational training – and the government currently lacks the capacity to implement such mandates anyway,” Mojibur said.
Summary of the 12 points
The government aims to increase the education budget to 5% of the GDP from the current approximately 2% through a three-year “Fiscal Uplift Plan” focused on equity and learning outcomes.
To avoid the year-end rush of spending, the ministry will align project cycles with the school calendar, using milestone-based cash releases and tracking “Contact Hours” in classrooms.
Priority will be given to teacher training, science labs, digital content, and school infrastructure, including sanitation and midday meals.
One teacher, one tab
Under the initiative, which is a pedagogical reform introducing digital literacy, AI awareness, and cyber safety, initiative, every teacher will be given a tab. Tabs will be used for lesson planning, attendance, and tracking learning evidence.
A mandatory third language (such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or French) will be introduced based on market demand, emphasising listening and speaking skills.
Innovation spaces (STEAM), mandatory sports, curriculum and exam reform, standardised pluralism, linking education tracks, higher education and research and accountability are key points of the roadmap.
Mojibur said educational administration like National Academy for Educational Management, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education and Directorate of Primary Education should be led by academicians and pedagogy experts who actually understand the mechanics of a curriculum.
Providing teachers with tabs may grab attention, but what the education sector truly needs is quality teachers, he said
Experts stress that meaningful steps must be taken to draw talented and capable individuals into the teaching profession.
The roadmap will be executed in three phases: Phase 1 (Immediate to Eid-ul-Fitr): Diagnostic reviews of budgets and pilot designs for teacher tabs and language programmes.
Phase 2 (After Eid-ul-Fitr): Announcement of the full National Education Roadmap with measurable indicators.
Phase 3 (12-36 months): Large-scale technical reforms in exams, bridging the technical-general-madrasah streams, and scaling up research grants.
The education minister said the government will give top priority to technical and technology-based education to develop a skilled workforce. At present, there is a lack of practical training compared to theoretical instruction in technical education – this imbalance will be addressed.
“The practical component in polytechnic and technical institutions will be increased, stronger linkages with the industrial sector will be established, and modern technologies, along with Artificial Intelligence (AI) will be integrated,” he added.
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