PM reiterates pledge to raise education spending to 5% of GDP

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening Bangladesh’s education sector, reiterating the government’s pledge to gradually raise education spending to 5 percent of GDP, as outlined in the election manifesto.

Responding to a question from BNP lawmaker Selim Reza during the question-and-answer session at the parliament, the premier said 43 priority areas in the education sector have been identified, with short-, medium-, and long-term plans underway.

He highlighted plans to establish technical schools and colleges in every upazila and polytechnic institutes in every district. The PM described education as the nation’s best investment and emphasised the government’s commitment to building a quality, life-oriented, and inclusive education system.

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“To enhance primary education, 200,000 government school students will receive free uniforms this fiscal year, with plans to expand the initiative nationwide. School feeding programmes and mid-day meals will also be gradually introduced across all upazilas to support students’ nutritional needs,” he said.

In preparation for global competition, multimedia classrooms will be set up in primary, secondary, and equivalent institutions, he said, adding free Wi-Fi will be provided in 1,500 schools, colleges, and universities, and each student and teacher will be assigned a unique digital identity, or “Edu-ID,” to reduce digital inequality.

The prime minister further outlined that technical education will be made compulsory at the secondary level alongside general education.

“Within 180 days, free Wi-Fi will be introduced in 2,336 technical schools and 8,232 madrasa institutions. Madrasa education will be modernised with smart classrooms, teacher training, and the integration of technical courses,” he said.

Under the ICT Division’s Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC), training programmes will be launched within six months in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, mobile app development and design using Flutter, Python programming, and AI-based digital marketing.

Responding to a question from BNP MP Ikramul Bari Tipu, the prime minister confirmed that the government is committed to expanding women’s education and empowering women.

“Plans are under consideration to nationalise one women’s college in each upazila headquarters to ensure equal opportunities,” he added.