DHAKA, June 2, 2025 (BSS) – The budget allocation for the entire education
sector increased by Taka 933 crore in the proposed national budget of Taka
7,89,999 crore, announced today by Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed for
the financial year 2025-2026.
A total of Taka 95,645 crore has been allocated to the education sector, with
the primary and mass education ministry Taka35,403 crore and education
ministry’s two divisions- Secondary and Higher Education and Technical and
Madrasa Education Taka 47,564 crore and Taka 12,678 crore respectively.
The size of the original budget for the current fiscal year was Taka7,97,000
crore, which was revised down to Taka7,44,000 crore.
According to budget documents from the Finance Division, Ministry of
Education’s two divisions; Secondary and Higher Education and Technical and
Madrasa Education, have received notable increases in the 2025-26 proposal.
The Secondary and Higher Education Division has been allocated Taka 47,564
crore, up by Taka 3,456 crore from the previous year’s Taka 44,108 crore. The
revised budget last year had reduced this to Taka 39,233 crore, making this
year’s proposal a significant rebound.
Besides, the Technical and Madrasa Education Division has also seen a boost,
receiving Taka 12,678 crore in proposed budget; an increase of Taka 895 crore
from the original 2024-25 allocation of Taka 11,783 crore. This year’s figure
is even more striking when compared to the previous year’s revised allocation
of just Taka 9,953 crore.
However, the primary and mass education ministry has been allocated
Taka35,403 crore, a decrease of Taka 3,416 crore from previous year’s
proposed allocation of Taka 38,819 crore, although it is slightly higher than
the Taka35,123 crore in the revised budget.
While proposing budget for secondary and higher education, education adviser
said, “Existing textbooks have already been revised and updated to ensure
quality education. To modernize the higher education system and align it with
international standards, the curricula of all private universities have been
updated based on the globally recognized outcome-based education (OBE)
model.”
He said under the Secondary and Higher Education Division, 62 projects are
being implemented with an allocation of Taka 1,957 crore for educational
infrastructure development and other initiatives.
“Besides, plans have been taken to construct ICT infrastructure, including
necessary buildings, at Dhaka University, BUET and Jashore Science and
Technology University, which will be used as modern classrooms, laboratories
and start-up incubation centers for the ICT students,” he added.
Moreover, the government has provided stipends to 51 lakh insolvent
meritorious students at secondary level, 8 lakh at higher secondary level and
1 lakh 65 thousand at undergraduate level in the current fiscal year, he
said.
Regarding technical and Madrasa education division, the adviser said
Technical and vocational education plays an important role in ensuring
employment opportunities both at home and abroad.
“At present, the enrollment rate in technical education is 19 percent. Women
polytechnic and engineering colleges are being established at every
divisional level, polytechnics at district level and technical schools at
upazila level to substantially increase this rate in the future,” he said.
Besides, the government is implementing extensive programs for the
development of Madrasa education, he said, adding, “The construction of 1,135
Madrasa buildings has already been completed and construction of 513 multi-
storied buildings is underway. Work is underway to bring 1,519 madrasas
across the country under MPO.”
“Moreover, multimedia classrooms have been set up in 493 madrasas, which are
playing a role in making madrasa education time-befitting. I propose to
allocate Taka 728 crore for inclusion of stipend at the Ebtedayee level and
MPO enrollment of Madrasas,” he said.
Commenting on primary and mass education, the adviser said, “The most
important foundation of a child’s cognitive development is laid at the level
of primary education. Considering this, short, medium and long-term reform
activities have been started based on the recommendations of the consultation
committee formed for the development of primary education, whose main goal is
to create a suitable environment and ensure quality education for the
students.”
To ensure an enabling environment for primary education, 5,946 classrooms,
17,164 wash blocks and 4,450 tubewells have been set up in primary schools
across the country in the current fiscal year, he said, adding, “At present,
construction of 21,278 classrooms, construction of 18,476 wash blocks and
installation of 6,984 tubewells are underway.”
Besides, 9 crore 19 lakh 50 thousand 492 books have been distributed from
pre-primary to class 5 in the current academic year, he added.
