Dhaka: The government is set to allocate a special grant amounting to Taka 6.41 crore for 7,100 teachers, students, and educational institutions across the country. The recipients include 101 educational institutions, 250 teachers and staff, 4,047 secondary school students, and 2,702 students from colleges and universities, as detailed in an official letter signed by Liuza-ul-Jannah, Deputy Secretary of the budget section of the Secondary and Higher Education Department in the Ministry of Education, issued on June 17.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the letter outlined the decision to distribute the funds allocated to the "Special Grants" sector of the Secondary and Higher Education Department for the current fiscal year. The planned distribution will see 101 educational institutions receive a total of Taka 1.01 crore, with each getting Taka one lakh. Meanwhile, 250 teachers and employees will receive Taka 30,000 each, totaling Taka 75 lakh.
Moreover, Taka 3 crore 23 lakh and 76 thousand has been set aside for 4,047 secondary school students, granting them Taka 8,000 each. Additionally, 1,428 students in 11th and 12th grades are set to receive Taka 9,000 each, amounting to Taka 1 crore 28 lakh 52 thousand. A further 1,274 students pursuing graduation and above will be allocated Taka 10,000 each, totaling Taka 1 crore 27 lakh and 40 thousand.
The letter specified that the funds will be distributed via the Bangladesh Post Department's digital financial service, "Nagad". Educational institutions will receive their funds online to their bank accounts, while funds for teachers, employees, and students will be directly transferred through mobile banking to "Nagad".
A policy for special allocations targeting private general educational institutions, as well as teachers and students from both government and private institutions, was earlier drafted by Dr Sheikh Abdur Rashid, then Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division. This policy involves a district-level committee, led by the Deputy Commissioner as president and the District Education Officer as member secretary, to scrutinize applications. A final scrutiny committee, consisting of 13 members with the Additional Secretary (Administration and Finance) of the Ministry of Education as convener, will also be established.
Ministry sources indicate that priority for grants has been given to developing educational institutions in backward areas, teachers and employees with incurable diseases, and students from distressed, disabled, third gender, and other marginalized communities. Specific allocations have been made for individuals affected by ailments such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis, diabetes, and other serious health conditions.
Siddique Zobair, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education, stated to BSS, "The government is working to spread education equally to all. To this end, special grants are being allocated to backward but well-performing educational institutions as well as to support affected teachers, staff, and students."