Mixed report card in education

Six months into office, the BNP-led government has posted early wins in education – a bigger budget, free uniforms and midday meals – but faces criticism over the disrupted HSC exams, reversed policy decisions and delays in setting up an independent education commission, experts say.
The government, formed on 17 February, raised the education sector’s allocation to 2% of GDP, a move welcomed by educationists after what they called years of neglect under the previous Awami League administration. 
Free uniforms and shoes are being piloted for more than 10 million students, while free midday meals have already begun at the primary level.
Dr ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon took charge as education minister, with a state minister for primary and mass education, and on 19 February the two set out a 12-point agenda at the secretariat. 

It covers expanding the education budget, prioritising the development budget, a “one teacher, one tab” scheme, a third-language curriculum, turning schools into innovation hubs, mandatory sports at secondary level, and a common evaluation standard across general, madrasah and quami institutions. It also promises technical education at secondary level, a higher education and research plan, and greater accountability. The BNP’s election manifesto separately carries a
43-point agenda for the sector.
Under the plan, sports and a new subject titled “Culture” will be introduced from Grade 4, while Grade 6 will add technical and vocational education alongside a subject called “Learning with Happiness.” 
The government has also run workshops with the National Curriculum 
 and Textbook Board (NCTB) to update textbook content, and organised the “Startup, Science Project and Innovation Idea Showcasing” event for school and college students nationwide, attended by the prime minister. 
Sports competitions such as the Prime Minister’s Gold Cup have been introduced as part of a push on student mental health.
But the six months have also brought friction.  A proposed shift of teacher-recruitment authority at private institutions from NTRCA to individual managing committees triggered strong protests; the government later said no such decision had been taken. 
The HSC examinations drew widespread criticism after adverse weather disrupted sittings, prompting the education minister to apologise in parliament, while errors in question papers added to the backlash.  A committee formed to oversee primary school teacher transfers also proved controversial and had to be revised after criticism.  Separately, candidates who passed the primary school teacher recruitment exam under the interim government remain frustrated that their appointments have still not been finalised, and have staged repeated protests demanding completion of the process.
Mohammad Mojibur Rahman, professor at the Institute of Education and Research (IER), Dhaka University, said there was no doubting the government’s intent, but its messaging had fallen short.  “There is a ‘gap’ in the overall development of the education system, including education policy, infrastructure and teachers,” he told the Daily Sun. He questioned the feasibility of some flagship plans, noting Bangladesh lacks the capacity to make technical education compulsory, with many existing technical colleges already struggling to attract students.  “We are still unable to teach Bangla and English properly. In such a situation, we need to consider how realistic it would be to make a third language compulsory,” he said, adding that “smart teachers” mattered more than tablets and that all subjects should be taught in an engaging way. Professor Mojibur Rahman also pointed to widespread teacher vacancies and called for an improved salary structure to attract qualified candidates. 
The government’s biggest shortcoming, he said, was its failure to form an education commission within its first six months.
“Many education commissions have been formed during Bangladesh’s 55-year history. But in many cases, commissions were formed with people aligned with the government in power. As a result, the next government scrapped their recommendations and formed another commission. We do not want that,” he said, calling for a commission that is independent, permanent, transparent and neutral, and commands trust across rural and urban, religious and ethnic lines.
He said the government should govern education according to the commission’s long-term recommendations rather than isolated steps, and flagged poor coordination among the minister, state minister, bureaucrats, education board chairmen and the NCTB as a persistent problem.