DHAKA, Nov 22, 2013 – The government has undertaken a massive programme given top priority to the education sector.
For introducing a time- befitting and job-oriented academic system, the government has already approved the National Education Policy-2010 with a set of goals to make a digital Bangladesh.
The aim of the education policy is to build thoughtful, rationalistic, non-communal, patriotic and efficient citizens who are capable of giving leadership for human development.
The policy is also designed to build such superstition-free people who stick to principles and are respectful to their own and other religions. Despite failing to achieve the desired target, the government gives due importance to the UN Convention on the Rights of Children.
The rate of enrollment of students has increased significantly. But many children cannot complete their education finally.
Apart from physically and mentally challenged children, many of their fellows in the ethnic communities and haor-baor and hilly areas are deprived of the right to education.
According to an official survey, the present government ensures enrollment of more than 99 per cent children in schools, but around 40 per cent of them are dropped out before completing education.
As per the Bangladesh Primary Education Annual Sector Performance Report- 2012, at least 26 lakh children aged between six to 10 are not going to school.
Another survey, conducted by Education Watch in 2008, says about 50 per cent children dropout before crossing class five at school level. Of them, 51.7 are boys and 48.3 girls. The dropout rate is 30.4 per cent in the city areas while 52.4 per cent in rural areas. The percentage is higher in remote villages, hilly and coastal areas.
Bangladesh Statistics Bureau, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies and UNICEF jointly prepared a report titled ‘Map of Child Equality: Sectors of Social Deprived’. The report stated that around 10 per cent children does not go to school in developed upazila areas while it is 45 per cent in undeveloped upazilas.
Besides, underprivileged families do not want to send their children to schools. And as a result, their children are deprived of education.
‘Stipend for Primary Education’ programme is being implemented by the government to overcome the problem. Around 48.16 lakh student from poor families are getting Taka 100 to Taka 125 per month as stipend.
Besides, the present government is continuing distributing free textbooks to the students. A total of 9.9 crore textbooks were distributed in 2011 as against 8.3 crore in 2012.
To ensure education for all, the government has undertaken multipurpose programmes to bring the underprivileged and dropped out children, who work in urban areas, under schooling schemes. Around 7.50 lakh children of 89 upazilas will get this opportunity.
The government is committed to ensuring primary education for all within 2015.
eNewsDesk @Local