Dhaka: The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has issued a statement in response to remarks made during a recent press conference organized by the Bangladesh Kindergarten Unity Council regarding the Government Primary School Scholarship Examination.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the ministry clarified that the scholarship examination is exclusively designed for students of class five enrolled in government primary schools, as part of broader initiatives to enhance the quality of education in these institutions. The initiative aims to provide financial incentives to help children from disadvantaged backgrounds continue their education.
National education surveys indicate that the majority of students in government primary schools come from low-income families, whereas most students attending kindergartens belong to relatively affluent households. This socioeconomic contrast underscores the ministry’s focus on supporting government primary school students through the scholarship examination.
It is noteworthy that kindergartens, under their respective associations, independently conduct the “Kindergarten Association Scholarship Examination” for students from class two to class five. However, students from government primary schools are not eligible to participate in these exams, leading to demands from parents for the introduction of a dedicated scholarship examination within the government system.
The ministry emphasized that, under Article 17(a) of the Constitution of Bangladesh and the Compulsory Primary Education Act of 1990, the government is obligated to ensure free primary education for all children eligible to attend primary school. In this context, no public-private partnership (PPP) policy is applicable, and parents who choose to enroll their children in private institutions do so voluntarily.
The ministry concluded that the claim of discrimination in the Government Primary School Scholarship Examination is unfounded, as free primary education in government schools is open to all children eligible for primary education in Bangladesh.