Record Allocation in Education

Bangladesh has got a new government. Up ahead are election manifesto commitments, alongside resolving long-standing problems and crises. The quality of education must be elevated, school uniforms and mid-day meals must be provided to children, and the plight of retired teachers must be addressed. There are also demands for digital classrooms, free Wi-Fi, and new MPO enlistments. To materialize these promises, the Ministry of Education has sought a record allocation in the education sector for the upcoming 2026-27 fiscal year.

The ministry has requested an additional 29,209 crore taka beyond the existing spending ceiling. This fund is intended to bring about a major transformation in education. Meanwhile, an allocation of 40,276 crore taka has already been earmarked for the education sector in the Annual Development Program (ADP).

According to budget documents, the Prime Minister has committed to raising the education allocation to 5% of GDP. As part of this commitment, the current allocation for education is being increased, with plans for a gradual rise moving forward. The Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education has submitted an additional demand of 29,209 crore taka beyond its final spending ceiling of 57,301 crore taka, and assurances have been received regarding this request.

Budget Allocations and Strategy

According to the proposal, the total budget requested for the Secondary and Higher Education Division is 86,511.16 crore taka. The Finance Division initially set a preliminary spending limit of 50,319 crore taka, which was later increased to a final ceiling of 57,301.68 crore taka. However, Education Minister Ehsanul Hoque Milan informed the Ministry of Finance that while development expenditure was slightly raised, operating expenditure was reduced, making it difficult to run regular activities and implement new initiatives. He recently sent a DO (demi-official) letter to the Finance Division outlining sector-wise funding requirements. Meanwhile, in the ADP passed on Monday, 40,276 crore taka was allocated to education.

The government aims to give the education sector a major push and has requested nearly 10,000 crore taka solely for implementing its election manifesto. The ministry has already developed an action plan to support this effort. In addition to implementing 28 new projects, initiatives will include:
"One Teacher, One Tab" in primary schools
Free Wi-Fi in all educational institutions
Establishment of multimedia classrooms

Abdul Khaleq, Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, stated that the requested funding in the upcoming budget prioritizes the election manifesto, educational quality improvement, and humanitarian aspects.