'School Feeding Program'' to be expanded to check dropout rate: Finance minister

The government has taken up a new project titled  'School Feeding Program' covering all primary schools from 150 upazilas of the country to prevent further dropouts at primary education level. 

Finance Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali disclosed it while delivering his budget speech in the National Parliament on Thursday (6 June).

With a view to preventing dropout at primary education level, stipend is being provided to 100% students through EFT. The ongoing school feeding program for more than 27 lakh students from 15,470 government primary schools in 104 upazilas of the country through the project titled 'School Feeding in Poverty-stricken Areas' has been completed recently.

In continuation of this, a project has been taken up with the aim of starting 'School Feeding Program' in all primary schools from 150 upazilas of the country, he said.

The Finance Minister also said that the net enrolment rate in primary education has increased from 90.8% in 2009 to 97.56% in 2022 as a result of well-thought-out government policies. At the same time, the dropout rate in primary education was 45.1% in 2009, which declined to 13.95% in 2022, he added.

Besides, integrated education program has been launched to ensure education in mainstream government primary schools for all children of the society including children with special needs at primary level.

Moreover, wheel chairs, crutches, hearing aids, etc. are being procured and distributed to children with special needs and funds are being allocated based on demand in each upazila for the purchase and distribution of such aids, he said adding that ramps are being constructed in primary schools to facilitate access to classrooms for children with special needs.