Special allocation, mid-term plan sought for learning loss recovery 

Academics and policymakers have called for a special allocation in the upcoming budget for recovering the learning losses of students caused by the prolonged closure of educational institutions amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We hope that the government will allocate a special budget for recovering learning losses and to check dropouts," Rasheda K Choudhury, executive director of the Campaign for Popular Education (Campe), said at a dialogue on Saturday.  

"The education ministry never engages stakeholders, who have been working in the education sector for a long time, in preparing the education budget. That is why needs-basis allocations are always absent in the education budget," she added.

Campe, Education Watch and Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in cooperation with Unicef organised the dialogue, "Lessons from Our National Budget for Education: Where Do We Stand?" at Spectra Convention Centre in the capital.     

Eminent economist Kazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed presided over the function while Planning Minister MA Mannan was present as chief guest.

Lawmaker Aroma Dutta, Javed Patel, British high commissioner (in-charge) in Dhaka, Veera Mendonca, deputy representative of Unicef Bangladesh Country office, Hans Lambrecht, co-chair of ELCG, Fahmida Khatun, executive director of CPD, and Manzoor Ahmed, professor emeritus of Brac University, among others, spoke on the occasion.

To facilitate students in continuing their studies, the primary and mass education and the education ministries along with stakeholders provided a variety of learning alternatives amid the closure.

But, the experts said, remote learning was not entirely a substitute for face-to-face schooling and most students could not take part in online classes due to a lack of digital devices and the high cost of internet data.

Dr Manzoor Ahmed said, "We don't see any initiative to recover the learning losses. We need a mid-term plan and an adequate special budget. Otherwise, the education sector might face a problematic situation."

Muntaseer Kamal, a research fellow at CPD, presented a keynote paper on "Education Budget in Bangladesh: Issue and Challenges" at the programme.

In his keynote paper, Muntaseer Kamal said education has been considered to be a priority sector in successive five-year plans in Bangladesh. But unfortunately, over the years Bangladesh could make limited progress in terms of providing the required budgetary allocation for education.

Learning losses induced by the pandemic will be a difficult challenge to overcome as targeted in the Annual Development Programme (ADP). Projects to mitigate learning losses are still lacking.

"Total public expenditure on education was 1.6% of GDP in 1990, which rose to about 2%. Since then, it has been hovering around this level. However, after the rebasing of GDP (base year: 2015-16), the share came down to 1.4% in FY21," the keynote said.

"Completion rate at the lower secondary and upper secondary levels has not been satisfactory. The dropout rate and learning losses might be high in the upcoming days owing to the Covid-19 impact. So, the government must take immediate action and allocate a special budget for checking dropouts and for recovering learning losses," it added.

"Due to hierarchy of quality among different types of institutions, a small proportion of mostly urban institutions meet acceptable standards for educational provisions and facilities. The teacher-student ratio, particularly in science and math, and inadequate quality-enhancing training facilities for teachers affect the quality of education," it said.

Even the proportion of students enrolled in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) increased from 2% in 2010 to 3.5% in 2020 without addressing the weakness. As a result, such an increase, by itself without weaknesses being addressed, without responding to quality and relevance concerns and linking it all with the job market, is likely to be wasted, it said.

Tanjima, a resident of a Hazaribagh slum, got married during the pandemic and now she wants to study. But she has no financial support to continue her study.

"I got married when I was a 9th grader in 2021. Now I am interested in continuing studies. But my family has no ability to provide financial assistance. I request the government to create a fund for us," she said.

Jakia Akter, who came from Kishoreganj, said her father was a businessman and had lost his capital amid the pandemic. Now he is suffering from different ailments and is unable to work. Her mother works as a maid. She also does the same job.

"I learnt nothing during the pandemic. I am now a 10th grader but it is difficult for me to understand the lessons. I hardly get time to study after my work. I can learn more if the government does something for us," she said.

Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman said the government must spend the budgetary allocation through good management. At the same time, it should have an evaluation of whether the target is being fulfilled or not.

Planning Minister MA Mannan placed importance on inclusive education, especially for marginalised students. He said that education for students from rural, char and hilly areas must be ensured somehow.

BBS and IMED

"Stipends and school meals can reduce dropouts and also can mitigate learning losses. So the education ministry should take special initiatives in this regard," he said.