Human capital formation is the sine qua non for improvement in the lives of people. Bangladesh has not performed to the best of its potential in developing this capital and remain a country where illiteracy is rampant. The Constitution of the country enshrines the right of the child to free and compulsory primary education. In recent times, a number of interventions have been made in public, private and NGO sectors to attain the goal of universal primary education. However, no sector has invested enough in monitoring the progress towards the desired goal.
About 18 million of Bangladesh's 130 million population, are in the primary school age (6-10 years) group. Nearly 80 percent of these children are now attending school. Some studies have raised questions about the quality of education imparted in the schools. This report presents results from a new study that looks at the quality aspect more comprehensively. It is done for both formal and non-formal sub-systems by (i) assessing students completing the primary cycle against a set of terminal competencies recommended by the government and (ii) by studying the state of teacher education.
About 18 million of Bangladesh's 130 million population, are in the primary school age (6-10 years) group. Nearly 80 percent of these children are now attending school. Some studies have raised questions about the quality of education imparted in the schools. This report presents results from a new study that looks at the quality aspect more comprehensively. It is done for both formal and non-formal sub-systems by (i) assessing students completing the primary cycle against a set of terminal competencies recommended by the government and (ii) by studying the state of teacher education.