Staff reporter:
The government is taking coordinated initiatives to ensure quality learning for every child by giving equal importance to learning outcomes, nutrition, teacher development, effective monitoring and accountability, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said yesterday.
He said improving the quality of primary education required more than building school infrastructure or ensuring students’ attendance. It is also essential to ensure what children are learning at school, how strong their foundational learning is and whether they are receiving adequate nutrition, he added.
He made the remarks as the chief guest at an orientation programme for head teachers under the project titled ‘Feeding Programme in Government Primary Schools’ and an exchange of views meeting on improving the quality of primary education at Bahubal Upazila Parishad in Habiganj.
The state minister questioned whether children are receiving the desired and appropriate education through primary schooling, saying, “I think we have not yet reached that stage. However, this does not mean that teachers are not making efforts or failing to discharge their responsibilities.”
He said the authorities needed to identify the existing gaps and work together to address them. He also urged teachers to directly raise issues concerning their schools, needs and development proposals.
Expressing concern over student dropouts, Hajjaj said a significant number of students are dropping out at the primary level. The school feeding programme would play an important role in ensuring that no child remained out of school, he added.
He said the programme aimed not only to ensure students’ nutritional needs but also to retain them in schools and keep them engaged in regular learning activities.
Referring to the support of the World Food Programme (WFP), he said initiatives had been taken to ensure food quality based on internationally recognised nutritional standards according to students’ age groups.
The state minister said around 3.1 million students are currently covered by the school feeding programme at government primary schools. The government planned to expand the programme to cover around 11 million students in 2027, he said.
Habiganj Deputy Commissioner DR. G.M. Sharfaraz chaired the event while local lawmaker Dr Reza Kibria, WFP Bangladesh Head of Programme Jesse Wood, a director of the Directorate of Primary Education and Bahubal Upazila Nirbahi Officer attended the meeting as special guests.
Head teachers of all government primary schools in Bahubal upazila and concerned officials were also present.
