Dhaka: Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed today announced that this year’s budget prioritizes creating an environment conducive to science-based, technology-driven, and employment-oriented education. “There is no alternative to science, technology, or technical education to build a strong economic structure. This year’s budget has given special priority to it,” he stated during a pre-recorded speech broadcast on Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the proposed national budget for FY26 allocates Taka 7,89,999 crore, with the education sector seeing an increase of Taka 933 crore. A total of Taka 95,645 crore has been earmarked for education, distributed among the primary and mass education ministry and two divisions of the education ministry: Secondary and Higher Education, and Technical and Madrasa Education. The Secondary and Higher Education Division received Taka 47,564 crore, marking an increase from the previous year’s Taka 44,108 crore, while the Technical and Madrasa Education Division saw an allocation of Taka 12,678 crore, up from Taka 11,783 crore.
The primary and mass education ministry has been allocated Taka 35,403 crore, a reduction from the previous year’s proposed Taka 38,819 crore, yet slightly above the revised allocation of Taka 35,123 crore. For secondary and higher education, the adviser highlighted the revision and updating of textbooks to ensure quality education and the modernization of the higher education system in line with international standards through updated curricula based on the outcome-based education model.
Dr. Ahmed also mentioned the implementation of 62 projects under the Secondary and Higher Education Division, with Taka 1,957 crore allocated for educational infrastructure and other initiatives. Plans include constructing ICT infrastructure at Dhaka University, BUET, and Jashore Science and Technology University to serve as modern classrooms, laboratories, and start-up incubation centers.
Stipends have been provided to 51 lakh secondary-level students, eight lakh higher secondary students, and 1.65 lakh undergraduates in the current fiscal year. The technical and Madrasa education division is focused on enhancing employment opportunities through technical and vocational education, with a current enrollment rate of 19 percent. The establishment of women polytechnic and engineering colleges at divisional levels, polytechnics at district levels, and technical schools at upazila levels aim to increase this rate.
The government is also advancing Madrasa education, completing 1,135 Madrasa buildings and continuing construction on 513 multi-storey buildings. Efforts are underway to include 1,519 madrasas in the MPO, with multimedia classrooms set up in 493 madrasas. An allocation of Taka 728 crore has been proposed for stipends at the Ebtedia level and MPO enrollment of Madrasas.
Dr. Ahmed emphasized the significance of primary education as the foundation of a child’s cognitive development, with reform activities initiated based on recommendations from a consultation committee. Efforts to create a conducive environment for primary education include the construction of classrooms, wash blocks, and tube wells in primary schools. In the current fiscal year, 9,19,50,492 books were distributed to students from pre-primary to Class-V.