THE rising rate of school dropout has become an alarming concern, threatening not only social development but also the economic future. Education campaigners from both government and non-government sectors at an event have warned that unchecked sexual harassment in schools, child marriage and corruption within the education system seriously undermine investments in education. Citing findings from the UNESCO鈥檚 2024 report, speakers have said that for Bangladesh, it projected a 19.18 per cent loss in revenue earnings and a 9.14 per cent reduction in private expenditure by 2030, alongside severe social costs. Early pregnancies and homicides could rise by 69 and 57 per cent, respectively, as a consequence of educational exclusion. It is further observed that reducing the current dropout rate by just 10 per cent could increase national gross domestic product by up to 2 per cent. With Bangladesh spending only 2.1 per cent of its GDP on education, speakers urged prioritising greater investment, coordinated reforms across 17 fragmented education systems and stronger measures against the social and institutional barriers that keep children, especially girls and those in remote areas, from remaining in school.
The implications of the dropout crisis extend far beyond the loss of individual potential; it threatens social stability, gender equality and long-term economic growth. When students, particularly girls, leave school early, the country faces a diminished work force, increased poverty cycles and heightened social vulnerabilities such as child marriage and early pregnancy. These are not isolated outcomes but symptoms of structural neglect such as inadequate funding, weak governance and fragmented coordination among the 17 types of education systems. The situation is worsened by corruption, poor teacher incentives and insufficient safeguards against harassment and discrimination, which continue to push students out of classrooms. Addressing this crisis requires a holistic and coordinated strategy: one that strengthens political will, ensures equitable resource allocation and holds institutions accountable. Investment must be coupled with reforms that promote teacher training, improve salaries and secure safe, inclusive learning environments. Social awareness campaigns, especially those tackling gender-based barriers and child marriage, should complement institutional efforts. Only by viewing dropout not as an individual failure but as a systemic one, rooted in inequality, policy weakness and social injustice, can the government begin to reverse the tide and protect human and economic capital.
Bangladesh can no longer afford to treat school dropout as a peripheral concern. It is a national emergency demanding urgent political attention and sustained investment. The government should prioritise education reform with strong monitoring, adequate teacher incentives and robust protection against social barriers that drive children out of school. Every child retained in education strengthens the foundation for equality, progress and long-term resilience.
