The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recommends that a country should allocate 6 percent of its total GDP or at least 20 percent of its budget to the education sector. However, in Bangladesh, the education budget allocation has not exceeded 12 percent for several years. Allocation to this sector in proportion of the GDP has also been gradually decreasing. In light of these circumstances, educators and experts have advised the interim government to reconsider the budget for the current fiscal year (2024-25) in the interest of the education sector. They also believe that it is essential to evaluate the appropriateness of the projects undertaken in this sector and determine whether any were influenced by political considerations.

In the most recent budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year, the total allocation for education was 1.69 percent of the GDP, down from 1.76 percent in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

The national budget proposal for the 2024-25 fiscal year was presented in Parliament on June 6. This budget proposed an allocation of BDT 947.10 billion for the education sector, representing 11.88 percent of the total budget. Within this allocation, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education received BDT 388.19 billion, the Secondary and Higher Education Division under the Ministry of Education received BDT 441.08 billion, and the Technical and Madrasa Education Division received BDT 106.02 billion.

According to World Bank data, Bangladesh ranks 13th among the 15 countries with the lowest education spending as a percentage of GDP, with most of the countries below Bangladesh being extremely poor.

Bhutan spends the most on education in South Asia, allocating 8.1 percent of its GDP to the sector. In comparison, India and the Maldives allocate 4.6 percent, while Afghanistan allocates 4.3 percent.

Experts in the education sector note that low budget allocations are not the only issue; the funds that are allocated are often not spent effectively. A significant portion of the budget is spent on infrastructure development, but little is seen in terms of effective measures to improve the quality of education.

Professor Dr. Mohammad Abu Eusuf of the Department of Development Studies at the University of Dhaka, who researches education budgets, told Bonik Barta, “In our country, allocations for education and technology are combined, which is not ideal. The allocation for education should be separate. Currently, the amount allocated to education is about half of what UNESCO recommends. Moreover, a large portion of this allocation is spent on infrastructure development. There is little focus on initiatives to improve teacher training or the quality of education. Additionally, projects are often taken up with political considerations in mind. If we want to improve the education sector, these issues need to be addressed.”

He added, “The interim government should reconsider the budget. It is necessary to assess whether the costs of the education projects have been accurately determined and whether any projects were undertaken for political reasons. If there is room to reduce costs, the savings should be redirected toward research or improving the quality of education. Additionally, teachers’ salaries should be adjusted to reflect current market conditions. Consideration should be given to establishing a separate pay scale for teachers.”

According to the Annual Development Program (ADP) for the current fiscal year, there are 65 projects under the two ministries responsible for education, 59 of which are related to building construction. Of the 58 projects under the Secondary and Higher Education Division, 55 are related to building construction. Four of the seven projects under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education are also related to building construction.

Among the projects under the Secondary and Higher Education Division are plans to build two new universities. These institutions are being constructed as part of the Awami League government’s pledge to establish a university in each district. However, educators point out that nearly all of the universities built in the last decade are facing challenges, including a shortage of teachers. In this context, the plan to build universities in every district should also be reconsidered.

Professor Dr. Akter Banu of the Institute of Education and Research at Rajshahi University told Bonik Barta, “Our education budget is extremely low. It needs to be significantly increased. However, simply increasing the budget is not enough; appropriate sectors for investment must also be identified. For example, there is little need to establish universities in every district. If this money were spent on research or improving the quality of education, it would have a much greater impact. To provide more opportunities for higher education to a larger number of students, we could consider increasing the number of seats in autonomous universities and implementing double-shift classes. Additionally, to attract talented students to the teaching profession, we need to increase salaries, allowances, and other benefits.”