Samira Sultana lives in the Ahmadbag area of Dhaka and works in a private job. Her home is right next to the Ahmadbag Government Primary School. But despite that, she hasn't enrolled either of her two children in the nearby government school. Instead, they go to a kindergarten.
When asked why, Samira explained, "For working mothers, it's important to match their work schedule with their child's school hours. The kindergarten where my children study provides school transport and daycare facilities, so I don't have to worry about picking them up or dropping them off. Government schools don't offer these kinds of services. Also, the kindergarten has a modern curriculum, and they take better care of the students. That's why I chose the kindergarten for my kids."
Samira's opinion is not unique. Most parents in Dhaka feel the same way. According to the latest Primary Education Statistics (2023), only 19.6 percent of primary-level students in Dhaka are enrolled in government primary schools. The data shows that from 2021 to 2023, the number of students in government primary schools in Dhaka dropped by nearly 64 percent.
In 2021, the net enrollment (students aged 6 to 10, from grades one to five) in government primary schools in Dhaka was 697,877—the highest in recent years. But from 2022, the numbers started to fall. That year, net enrollment dropped to 290,603; by 2023, it fell further to 249,712. So, in just two years, student numbers decreased by 448,165, a 64.22 percent drop.
Experts say this decline is due to poor education quality, lack of infrastructure and safety, a growing number of private schools, and reluctance from financially stable families to send their children to government schools.
A visit to several government primary schools in Dhaka revealed that most operate in rundown buildings and don't have playgrounds. According to teachers and education department officials, most of the students attending these schools come from lower-income or lower-middle-income families. About 30-40 percent of these students are often absent from class.
Md. Mostafizur Rahman Shahin, general secretary of the central committee of the Bangladesh Primary Teachers' Association, told Bonik Barta, "Many educational institutions in Dhaka have been set up without proper planning. New kindergartens, madrasas, and private schools are opening every day. These private institutions offer various facilities to attract parents. On the other hand, government primary schools in Dhaka face serious infrastructure problems. Many schools don't have enough space for sports or even clean and suitable classrooms. In some cases, schoollands have been encroached upon. Because of these issues, parents often avoid enrolling their children in these schools. Government primary school teachers receive fewer benefits than other types of schools in Dhaka. These teachers don't have the same support systems to care for students as kindergarten teachers. If students fall behind, there's no system to give them extra attention. These problems must be addressed to make government primary schools more attractive. At the same time, the unchecked growth of unplanned private institutions should be stopped."
According to primary education statistics, in 2021, 126,576 students were enrolled in grade one in government primary schools in Dhaka. These students moved to grade two in 2022. However, only 59,625 students were found in grade two that year. In 2023, the number dropped further to 52,499 in grade three. This means that out of all the students who enrolled in grade one in 2021, 74,077 dropped out by the time they were supposed to reach grade three. That's a dropout rate of nearly 58.52 percent.
Dr. Md. Abdus Salam, a professor at the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka, said, "The number of students in government primary schools is falling across the country. But in Dhaka, the trend is much more visible. Most government primary schools in Dhaka operate in rundown buildings with minimal facilities. Their teaching methods and curriculum do not meet the expectations of aware parents. On the other hand, kindergartens offer better facilities and customize their programs based on parents' demands. That's why families who can afford it are choosing kindergartens for their children. It now seems that only poor families are sending their children to government primary schools."
The researcher also said, "One reason for the increase in student numbers in government primary schools in 2021 could be that many kindergartens and private institutions were closed during the COVID period. Many parents were facing financial hardship. Because of this, some parents enrolled their children in primary schools at that time. However, as the situation began to normalize, those students returned to kindergartens, madrasas, and other private institutions, decreasing student numbers."
Professor Dr. Md. Abdus Salam believes that if children in Dhaka are to be attracted to government primary schools in the long run, the facilities in these schools must be improved. Dhaka should be divided into several zones, and at least one model school should be established. The infrastructure and facilities in these schools should be better than those in kindergartens. At the same time, qualified teachers and a modern curriculum must be ensured. If a few such schools can be developed and perform better than others, parents will be encouraged to enroll their children in government primary schools.
According to primary education statistics, private institutions, such as kindergartens and madrasas, decreased after the COVID-19 pandemic. Especially, the number of NGO learning centers, Ebtedayee madrasas, primary branches attached to higher madrasas, and kindergartens dropped significantly. According to the 2020 education statistics, there were 9,592 NGO learning centers, 5,882 Ebtedayee madrasas, 7,198 primary branches attached to higher madrasas, and 29,897 kindergartens in the country. In 2021, the number of Ebtedayee madrasas fell to 3,839, the number of primary branches of higher madrasas dropped to 3,534, and the number of kindergartens decreased to 28,193. The number of NGO learning centers also fell by several thousand. In 2021, the number of students in primary branches of higher madrasas dropped by 50.35 percent, in Ebtedayee madrasas by around 46.5 percent, and in kindergartens by 18.59 percent.
Dr. Manzoor Ahmed, professor emeritus at BRAC University and chair of the Advisory Committee on Primary Education Reform, told Bonik Barta, "For a long time, financially well-off parents in Dhaka have not been sending their children to government primary schools. They are choosing kindergartens and English-medium schools instead. Those who cannot afford it send their children to government schools. The reasons for well-off parents avoiding government primary schools could be the poor infrastructure, lack of adequate security, and concerns about education quality. On the other hand, private institutions in Dhaka offer facilities that meet parents' expectations. However, the fact that student numbers have dropped by nearly 64 percent in two years is a serious issue. The government should research to identify why parents in Dhaka are not sending their children to government primary schools and take steps to address the causes."
An analysis of the primary education statistics shows that, in terms of percentage, Dhaka has the lowest number of students enrolled in government primary schools among all district-level cities in the country. After Dhaka, Gazipur has the second lowest rate. In Gazipur, only 29.4 percent of primary-level students attend government primary schools. In contrast, in the remaining 62 districts, between 40 and 80 percent of all primary students study in government primary schools.
Rasheda K. Choudhury, a former adviser to the caretaker government, told Bonik Barta, "We have been talking about after-school programs in government primary schools for a long time. This is very important for working mothers. For example, in Gazipur, you will see many Hifzkhana centers near garment factories. Workers send their children there instead of to primary schools because their children remain safe while at work. Government primary schools have also not been able to implement mid-day meals. In many places, it is seen that government primary school teachers are involved in coaching businesses, and students have to enroll in coaching centers to get good results. As a result, even though primary education seems low-cost, the expense increases because of coaching. Many parents do not want to send their children to government primary schools for these reasons. If we want to increase enrollment in government primary schools, these problems must be solved. After-school programs and mid-day meals should be introduced. The budget must be increased, stipends should be raised to at least BDT 500, and teachers' benefits should be improved. At the same time, the coaching business must be completely stopped."
Md. Abdul Aziz, the primary education officer of Dhaka district, said, "Currently, there is a growing trend among parents to send their children to madrasas. This is also a major reason for the decline in student numbers. In addition, there are some infrastructural and other issues. Work is ongoing to solve these problems. A special project is being developed to improve the infrastructure of primary schools in Dhaka. If school infrastructure improves, we hope the dropout rate will decrease, and student enrollment in government schools will rise."