Dhaka: State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj announced today that students in government primary schools nationwide will soon be provided with free school bags, clothing, and footwear. “In line with the directives of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the ministry has already started working to implement the initiative,” he stated during a views-exchange meeting with leading leather goods and footwear manufacturers at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the government has launched a pilot program aimed at distributing quality school shoes initially to first-grade students. Several leading corporate institutions have pledged their support for the initiative, offering donations through their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Hajjaj emphasized that the initiative is not just a distribution program but an integrated support system for children.
The state minister highlighted the importance of uniformity in the quality, style, and production process of the shoes, cautioning that variations could lead to unequal experiences among children. He also mentioned the need to establish an acceptable standard for the footwear, taking into account the opinions of participating institutions.
During the pilot phase, shoes will be distributed to all first-grade students in two government primary schools per upazila, impacting nearly 100,000 students nationwide. Hajjaj directed officials to form a committee responsible for determining the technical and quality standards for the program. This committee will include representatives from the ministry, technical experts, specialists from the Institute of Leather Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), and one representative from each participating company.
He stressed the importance of involving technical experts to ensure that the design, quality testing, and certification processes align with international standards. The pilot initiative is expected to be swiftly implemented under the government’s 180-day program, with the state minister expressing optimism about the timeline given the existing manufacturing capabilities of the companies involved.
Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Md. Sakhawat Hossain and other senior officials were present at the meeting.