Dhaka: The government has unveiled a plan to double the existing scholarship funds for meritorious and marginalized students across all education levels, from primary to undergraduate studies. This initiative aims to increase financial support in line with current market prices and living costs to ensure a quality education for all students.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, this policy shift, occurring after a decade without adjustments, will elevate the government’s annual scholarship expenditure from Taka 184 crore to approximately Taka 368.16 crore. The Education Ministry confirmed the plan was finalized during a review meeting on April 6, addressing all stipend categories, including PSC, JSC, SSC, HSC, and graduation.
Education Minister Dr. A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milon, speaking to BSS, emphasized the government’s commitment to providing incentives to keep students engaged in education. He noted the importance of maintaining students’ living standards and inspiring them in their studies. The government is also considering increasing the total number of scholarship recipients.
Joint Secretary (Secondary-1) of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, Md. Saidur Rahman, mentioned that a primary decision was made to double the rates of all types of education scholarships. The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has been tasked with submitting a comprehensive and revised proposal based on this decision.
Rahman stated, “Once DSHE submits the proposal to increase the scholarship amounts, policy approval will be sought from the Ministry of Education. Subsequently, it will be forwarded to the Finance Division for the necessary budget allocation. This decision will be implemented promptly upon receiving the required funds from the Finance Division.”
The draft proposal from the DSHE outlines significant increases across various education levels. For example, primary level merit scholarships will rise from Taka 300 to Taka 600 monthly, and general scholarships will increase from Taka 225 to Taka 450. Similar increments are proposed for JSC, SSC, HSC, and graduation levels.
Additionally, one-time annual grants will also be doubled, such as the annual grant for HSC merit scholarships increasing from Taka 1,800 to Taka 3,600. The expanded financial support will also extend to marginalized groups, including minority communities, tribal students, and individuals with disabilities.
The DSHE announced that scholarships are currently distributed among 169,659 students from primary to graduation levels. This includes 82,500 students at the primary level, 46,200 at the junior level, 25,500 at the secondary level, 10,500 at the higher secondary level, and approximately 4,959 students in special categories for higher education.