Dhaka: State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj today announced a significant shift in the government's approach to distributing scholarships and stipends in primary education. The focus will now be on an "equity-based" system, prioritizing students based on their actual financial needs and vulnerabilities rather than employing a uniform distribution principle.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Bobby Hajjaj emphasized that providing equal assistance to all students does not necessarily translate into equality in education. He asserted that true equity is achieved by giving greater priority to those who need assistance the most.
Hajjaj delivered his remarks as the chief guest at a workshop titled "From Evidence to Action: Presenting Research Findings on the Effectiveness of School-Level Improvement Plans (SLIP)" held at the Bishwo Shahitto Kendro auditorium in Dhaka. The event was a collaborative effort by the Directorate of Primary Education, the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC), and UNICEF.
He highlighted the importance of ensuring that every taka of government aid reaches the students who genuinely require it to continue their education. He also suggested that government assistance might be reevaluated for families with the financial means to send their children to private schools, despite having access to free education at government primary schools.
The state minister stressed that families struggling with the educational expenses of their children would be given the highest priority for government support. He underlined the importance of preventing school dropouts and stated that the government aims to ensure no child leaves school due to poverty or financial hardship.
Hajjaj explained that to achieve this goal, programs such as stipends, educational materials, school feeding, and other initiatives are being made more coordinated and targeted. He also highlighted the importance of swimming as a life-saving skill for primary schoolchildren in Bangladesh, a riverine country. He noted that swimming should be integrated into primary education as an essential component of safety and survival, not just as a sport.
The workshop commenced with introductory remarks by Joy Millan Maler, Education and Early Childhood Specialist at UNICEF. Dr. Hossain Zillur Rahman, PPRC Executive Chairman, presented the main research findings, and discussions featured contributions from UNICEF Bangladesh Chief of Education Deepa Sankar and CAMPE Executive Director Rasheda K Chowdhury. Senior officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Directorate of Primary Education were also in attendance.