The government has announced a new support programme for primary students across Bangladesh. Under the plan, school bags made from local jute and school uniforms will be given free of cost to students.
Prime Minister’s Adviser on Education and Primary and Mass Education Affairs, Mahdi Amin, said the first phase will begin next July. He said one lakh first-grade students are expected to receive the items in the opening month.
Mahdi Amin shared the update on Wednesday, 22 April, after a meeting with Prime Minister Tarek Rahman. He said the programme will start as a pilot project before wider expansion.
Under the first stage, two schools in each upazila will be selected. Local administration officials will choose the schools. The project will initially focus on first-grade students.
Mahdi Amin said three ministries are working together to carry out the plan. He added that locally produced goods will be sent step by step to remote areas. He said fairness and equal access are key goals of the programme.
State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Mir Shahe Alam, said two schools in every upazila will receive the items first. He added that all primary schools will eventually use the same type of uniform. However, the design of uniforms and bags will differ for boys and girls.
Earlier, Prime Minister Tarek Rahman told Parliament that free school dresses would help improve the quality of primary education. He said the move could also help reduce student dropout rates.
According to the earlier plan, two lakh students of government primary schools may receive the benefit within the current fiscal year.
The pilot launch in July is expected to show how quickly the programme can be expanded to more schools across Bangladesh.
For the latest updates, follow Education News on our website
