21pc students drop out of primary schools
The dropout rate in primary education stands at 21 percent although the government ensures around 99.47 percent enrolment at primary level, Primary and Mass Education Minister Afsarul Ameen said yesterday.
“We have been able to bring almost 100 percent children to schools but struggling to keep them getting on with schooling,” he told a press conference at the ministry's conference room at the secretariat. The dropout rate, however, reduced significantly, he said.
The conference was organised to inform the media of the achievements made by the ministry in the last 32-and-a-half-month.
Replying to a query, the minister said, “Ensuring 100 percent enrolment is the biggest achievement while the biggest challenge is to prevent dropout and build an illiteracy free Bangladesh.”
Asked whether the government involves Bangladesh Chhatra League in the literacy programmes, he said, “We never said that Chhatra League would do those programmes.”
About nationalisation of registered non-government primary schools, he categorically said the government never said about nationalisation of the schools and is not thinking about it.
Over the past few years, most of the teachers of the country's 24,000 non-government primary schools have been pressing the government for nationalising their institutions.
State Minister Motahar Hossain said the ministry is 80 percent successful in ensuring quality education and meeting the government's pledge.
He also sought cooperation of the media in detecting the ministry's failures and duties.
About the government's plan to build 1,500 primary schools, Secretary of the ministry AKM Abdul Awal Majumbder said they have already finalised 848 schools, and tenders for the schools would be floated soon.
“We would build all the schools and create 7,500 posts for teachers by the end of the government's tenure,” he said.
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