The highest allocation in Budget 2013-14, clocking in at Tk 26,093 crore, went to the Education and Technology sector.“I propose to allocate Tk13,179.23crore, development and non-development budgets combined, for the Ministry of Education,” said Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech at JatiyaSangshad on Thursday.
He proposed allocating Tk11,935.37 crore (both development and non-development budgets) for the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Tk 367 crore for the Ministry of Science and Technology and Tk 633 crore for the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.
Reiterating the government’s commitment, Muhith said education is one of the fundamental rights of citizens and the main driver of realising the goals of Vision 2021 and considering the great importance of education, the government is unflinchingly committed to enhance the quality of education and also to create opportunity for higher education.
He said the government has improved infrastructure and made other facilities available to ensure better education and a number of projects are underway to improve infrastructural facilities of over 5,500 secondary schools, 1,000 madrasas and 1,500 colleges.
“Construction of new academic buildings for 2,719 secondary schools and 125 madrasas has been completed. Construction and other physical infrastructure work are going on at a rapid pace in more than 1,000 secondary schools, 325 madrasas and 600 colleges,” the Finance Minister said.
About the government’s pledge to eradicate illiteracy by 2014, he said the government is implementing the Primary Education Development Program-3, in order to expand and improve primary education.
Muhith said appointment and training of teachers, supply of text books and learning materials will be regulated under this project. Besides, construction of new class rooms, toilets and tube-wells are also being done under this project.
“We have selected 1,383 villages without primary schools to establish primary schools there. Moreover, we’re establishing Primary Teacher Training Institutes (PTIs) in 12 districts to improve their skills and capacity,” he said.
The Finance Minister said the government has taken a number of steps, including the introduction of school feeding programmes, to encourage more enrolment and prevent dropout.
School dropout has been reduced to 29.7 percent after implementation of the programmes and around 97 percent of children are now attending school, he said. (Source: UNB)
