BANGLADESH鈥橲 journey towards a knowledge-based economy will remain incomplete without meaningful reforms across all levels of education. Recent proposals such as the Bangladesh Nationalist Party鈥檚 pledge to enhance the economic and social standing of primary school teachers, alongside expanded training, deserve serious policy attention. International research has consistently shown that empowering teachers with better remuneration, status and professional development is essential to improving student learning outcomes and retention rates. In Bangladesh, however, primary teachers continue to earn a meagre average of $170 per month, significantly lower than their regional counterparts. This low pay contributes to high attrition and morale issues. The BNP鈥檚 focus on restoring teacher dignity and providing specialised training aligns with best global practices. UNESCO has repeatedly noted that poor working conditions and salaries are key drivers of teacher shortages and declining education quality.
Bangladesh has trained hundreds of thousands of teachers in information and communication technologies in recent years, yet systematic, ongoing professional development remains a gap. Embedding continuous training, particularly in digital pedagogy and subject expertise, into the teaching career path can ensure educators are equipped for modern curricula. A strategy focused on teacher dignity, capacity-building and digital competence can thus serve as the first step in transforming the foundations of education.
听
Primary to tertiary
WHILE improvements in primary education are crucial, Bangladesh must approach secondary, tertiary, vocational and research-based education with equal urgency. Multiple studies and independent evaluations have identified deep-seated problems in the country鈥檚 university system: overcrowded classrooms, outdated laboratories, insufficient qualified faculty and alarmingly low research output. In contrast to global models that anchor national innovation in university-led research and industry collaboration, Bangladesh鈥檚 higher education system suffers from inconsistent funding and a lack of long-term strategic planning.
Many faculty members in public universities work without access to modern labs, research grants, or international academic journals, contributing to stagnation in research and a growing brain drain. High-achieving students often pursue education and careers abroad, citing the lack of a vibrant local academic culture. To reverse this trend, Bangladesh requires a coordinated national agenda that enhances the quality and capacity of higher education. Expanding competitive research grants, postgraduate fellowships and a national research institute could serve as catalysts for innovation and institutional synergy. Academic experts have long called for greater investment in research infrastructure, modern equipment and faculty development. However, government commitment remains insufficient.
In the FY 2025鈥�26 national budget, education received only 12.1 per cent of total public expenditure and 2.1 per cent of GDP, well below UNESCO鈥檚 recommendation of 15鈥�20 per cent of national budgets or 4鈥�6 per cent of GDP. Unless both the volume and quality of education expenditure rise, particularly in the tertiary sector, Bangladesh will continue to lag behind. Rather than prioritising the creation of new institutions, resources must be directed towards transforming existing public universities into research-driven centres of excellence. This includes recruiting and retaining high-quality faculty, strengthening governance and aligning academic standards with international benchmarks. A robust higher education system grounded in academic integrity will form the bedrock of a competitive knowledge economy.
听
Global trends in learning
ENCOURAGINGLY, Bangladesh has made strides in expanding its education-technology infrastructure. Thousands of schools are now equipped with ICT labs and broadband internet; national platforms such as Konnect, the Teachers鈥� Portal and Virtual Class enable access to digital learning content. The government has distributed laptops and internet data packages, with the goal of ensuring 100 per cent secondary school internet access by 2025. Alongside infrastructure, substantial investment has gone into teacher training to support digital learning.
The 2021 National Curriculum Framework reflects a significant pedagogical shift, favouring competency-based and project-oriented learning over rote memorisation. Coding is now introduced from Grade 3, and robotics is part of the secondary curriculum, preparing students for future economies. These reforms echo international trends, including the prioritisation of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics education. Bangladesh has launched initiatives such as the National STEAM Olympiad and partnered with UNESCO to incorporate AI and ethics into the curriculum. Sustainability and climate education have also been embedded into textbooks, reflecting a global pivot towards future-oriented learning.
Inclusive education remains a key policy goal. Bangladesh has achieved near gender parity in school enrolment, bolstered by stipends and tuition waivers for girls through tertiary level. The Third Primary Education Development Programme includes quotas for children with disabilities. Yet challenges persist, particularly in reaching marginalised rural students and preventing dropouts among girls from economically or socially vulnerable households. Addressing these gaps requires both national resolve and international collaboration. Initiatives such as UNESCO鈥檚 CapED (2023鈥�26), which supports a national teacher strategy and ICT training framework, and the British Council鈥檚 MoU to reform English-language teaching in madrasas, offer capacity-building in curriculum development and professional training. These partnerships can help scale inclusive and equitable education outcomes.
听
Beyond electoral promises
TO SUSTAIN and expand recent gains, BNP鈥檚 reform agenda, especially its focus on improving the dignity and competence of primary teachers, must be elevated into a comprehensive national vision. This means going beyond election-cycle proposals and enacting structural changes across the system. First, modernising teacher training institutions is vital. Certification programmes should include AI-assisted instruction, inclusive pedagogy and STEAM-based methods to align teaching practices with contemporary classroom realities. Second, BNP could introduce a national blended learning strategy, ensuring equitable access to digital devices and culturally adapted e-learning resources, especially for underserved communities.
In higher education, regional hubs of excellence can be established in existing institutions, promoting educational research, curriculum innovation, and global academic partnerships. Equity-focused reforms must also be prioritised: earmarked funding for assistive technologies, the recruitment of aides for special needs education and infrastructure improvements in disadvantaged areas. Crucially, to ensure these reforms are institutionalised beyond political cycles, BNP could call for a National Education Reform Commission. This independent body, comprising educationists, researchers, and non-partisan experts, would be responsible for long-term planning, implementation, and accountability.
听
Reimagining educators鈥� role
IN A modern knowledge society, the role of educators must evolve. Teachers are no longer simply dispensers of information, they must become facilitators, mentors, and agents of change. Global high-performing systems increasingly view teachers as collaborative innovators, guiding students through inquiry-based and project-driven learning. In Bangladesh, teachers must transition from being 鈥榮ages on the stag鈥� to 鈥榞uides on the side,鈥� mentoring research, initiating community-based learning projects and engaging with real-world problem-solving.
To support this transformation, the country should consider launching 鈥榯eacher leader鈥� programmes modelled after successful international examples. These could create senior educator roles responsible for mentoring peers, delivering training, and driving innovation at the school level. UNESCO-backed awards or national recognition for pedagogical innovation can further inspire a culture of excellence. Reframing teaching as a dynamic and respected profession, not merely a compliance-based job, would complement salary and status reforms and help attract talent to the sector.
听
Beyond slogans
THE BNP鈥檚 proposal to uplift the social and economic standing of primary school teachers is both timely and necessary. In a system plagued by poor remuneration and limited professional pathways, the gesture signals renewed attention to the value of educators. However, to have a lasting impact, this approach must extend across all tiers of education. University faculty, particularly in public institutions, face parallel challenges 鈥� low wages, outdated training and minimal support for research or innovation. A unified framework for professional development, financial incentives and career progression can help retain educators and researchers, reversing the talent exodus.
A national teacher development system 鈥� encompassing rural schools and top-tier universities 鈥� should institutionalise regular certification, upskilling and career mobility. Recognising excellence through awards, promotions, and leadership opportunities will not only boost morale but also set performance benchmarks across the sector.
If BNP is serious about steering Bangladesh into a knowledge-based future, its initial 180-day plan must serve as more than a political talking point. Education reform should be embedded within a long-term national strategy backed by transparent implementation, bipartisan support, international partnerships and independent oversight. Education is not merely one policy among many; it is the cornerstone of equitable, sustainable and inclusive national development. By placing teachers, learners and innovation at the centre, Bangladesh can emerge not just as a follower but as a leader in shaping educational futures in the global south.
听
Dr Md Salahuddin is a postdoctoral researcher at Prairie View A&M University, Texas.
