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Speakers yesterday called for ensuring that education sector funds are not diverted to other sectors, alleging that money from the education budget had previously been allocated to projects such as the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant and the Bangabandhu Satellite.

Speaking at a citizen dialogue in the capital, they also urged the government to stop assigning teachers duties unrelated to classroom instruction.

The dialogue, titled “Government Priorities and the Education Sector: Budget and Reality”, was organised by the Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh, at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center.

It was chaired by the platform’s convener and CPD Fellow Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said no teacher would be allowed to enter classrooms without receiving proper training.

“We have already taken that step. Because of this decision, 14,500 teachers marched against me. But we remain firm in our position. They will complete their training and return to classrooms within the next four to six months,” he said.

The state minister said 30 to 40 percent of government primary school buildings require urgent renovation, while some need complete reconstruction.

“School infrastructure does not only mean buildings; we want to align building design with the teaching process,” he said.

He added that the government is formulating a “similar standard curriculum” and preparing a sustainable action plan for the next three to five years, which will be made public within six months to a year.

He also said work is underway to bring Ebtedayi madrasas under the Primary Education Board and formulate a “Teacher Policy” covering salary, promotion, and career development.

Debapriya said increasing budget allocations alone is not enough without ensuring proper utilisation and evaluation.

“To move development forward, the education sector must be viewed not as an area of expenditure, but as an investment, where the primary goal will be to create skilled human resources,” he said.

He said the focus should now shift from access to educational outcomes. “Students are enrolling in schools, but whether they are graduating with quality education is now the key issue.”

Eminent economist Prof Anu Muhammad questioned why education budgets are often said to lack funds while “thousands of crores” are allocated elsewhere.

“Neighbouring countries spend more than five percent of their GDP on education and health. Why can’t we?” he said.

An education commission was formed in 2010, but the government that formed it never implemented its recommendations, he added.

He also criticised the burden of ancillary work on teachers due to a lack of support staff in schools.

Rasheda K Chowdhury, executive director of Campaign for Popular Education, criticised the inclusion of unrelated projects in the education budget.

“Education is not considered a single sector. At first, it was linked with the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Then came the Bangabandhu Satellite. Then came Rooppur. These are all included in our education budget,” she said.

She also warned against politicising school managing committees, saying she would return to court if political appointments continue despite a High Court ruling upheld by the Appellate Division.

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