Naziur Rahman Nippon sat quietly at his father’s roadside tea stall in Kawran Bazar, Dhaka, dressed in a sky-blue shirt embroidered with the name of a private school in Tejgaon. The modest setting stood in stark contrast to the decision his family had made about his education.
His father, Aminur Rahman, explained that the school charges a monthly fee of Tk1,000. Nearby, several government primary schools offer free education, yet he chose not to send his son there.
“If it comes down to saving money or ensuring better education for your child, what would you choose?” he asked.
Aminur’s decision reflects a broader national trend. Despite free primary education provided by the state, millions of families who can afford even modest fees are increasingly opting for private schools. Parents cite concerns over the quality of education, classroom environments, discipline, safety and a lack of extracurricular activities in government schools.
Many fear that attending public primary schools may leave their children academically disadvantaged later in life.
A system losing trust
Educationists warn that this shift has far-reaching implications. A country’s education system is built on a foundational philosophy, they argue, and that foundation is laid at the primary level. If the majority of children opt out of public primary education, that philosophy risks becoming ineffective.
Manzoor Ahmed, who headed an advisory committee on primary and secondary education during the interim government, expressed deep concern.
“Most of the people leading the country today once studied in government primary schools,” he said. “Now those same schools are failing to retain students. The core problem is the lack of comprehensive planning and effective management in the education system.”
Teachers note that government primary schools are increasingly attended by children from marginalised and low-income families, while lower middle-class families turn to private kindergartens and middle- to upper-middle-class families favour English-medium institutions.
The result is a growing segregation from an early age. Children are confined within their own socio-economic groups, limiting their exposure to broader social realities and reinforcing inequality.
Khairul Chowdhury, a professor of sociology at the University of Dhaka, described the situation bluntly.
“It’s complete chaos,” he said. “Our education system lacks philosophy, ethics and a sense of national purpose. A class divide has already taken root.”
He warned that while a form of “privileged meritocracy” may emerge, the system risks failing to produce genuinely capable individuals in the future.
Enrolment falls despite expansion
Data from the past five years show a significant decline in student numbers in government primary schools, with enrolment falling by 21% to 25% compared with 2021.
Longer-term figures reveal an even sharper trend. In 2015, Bangladesh had 38,306 government primary schools with 9.58 million students, averaging more than 250 pupils per school.
Today, the number of schools has increased to 65,569, and total enrolment stands at 10.6 million. However, the average number of students per school has dropped to just 162.
In other words, while more than 27,000 schools have been added over the past decade, student numbers have risen by only about 1.04 million. This has resulted in a decline of at least 88 students per school on average—a reduction of roughly 35%.
In Dhaka alone, government data indicate that of approximately 1.6 million primary and pre-primary students, around 1.3 million are enrolled in private institutions. Similar patterns are evident in urban centres across the country.
Although government schools still dominate in rural areas, even there the number of private kindergartens is steadily increasing.
Meanwhile, private primary schools—numbering over 53,000—now serve more than 9.5 million students, with an average of 180 pupils per school, surpassing government institutions.
Rise of private and religious education
The growth of private education has been accompanied by a parallel rise in religious schooling.
Mizanur Rahman, general secretary of the Bangladesh Kindergarten Association, said that before the Covid-19 pandemic, private kindergartens had more than 10 million students.
“Many have since shifted to Qawmi madrasas,” he said, noting that enrolment in such institutions has surged in both urban and rural areas.
The government does not have precise data on the number of students in Qawmi madrasas, but their expansion is widely acknowledged.
Teachers struggle on the ground
Teachers in government schools describe difficult working conditions and limited engagement from parents.
At a government primary school in Bosila, Dhaka, one teacher said that most students come from low-income families, where parents often struggle to prioritise education.
In Mohammadpur, another teacher explained the challenges of maintaining parental involvement.
“We hold monthly meetings and organise mothers’ gatherings, but even that is difficult,” he said. “Many parents work in informal jobs. Sometimes we cannot even reach them by phone.”
A teacher in Palashbari, Gaibandha, highlighted the stark realities faced by families.
“They have to choose between feeding their families and monitoring their children’s education,” he said. “In such circumstances, teachers can ensure only the minimum level of learning. Improving quality to the desired level becomes very difficult.”
Even beneficiaries turn away
Ironically, many parents who themselves studied in government primary schools are now opting for private education for their children.
Asfaquel Islam, a teacher at Gaibandha Government College, sends one child to Rangpur Cantonment Public School and College (Bangla version) and another to Millennium Stars School and College (English version).
He cited a lack of discipline and supervision in government schools as the main reason.
“I also considered cultural activities and sports alongside academic standards,” he said.
Masud Rahman, a graduate of Sir Salimullah Medical College and now a practising doctor, has chosen an English-medium school for his child.
“The teaching methods and curriculum in English-medium schools are internationally aligned,” he said. “No conscious parent wants to experiment with their child’s education.”
He also criticised what he described as a lack of teacher commitment and frequent changes in curriculum and assessment systems in government schools.
For many families, however, cost remains a limiting factor.
Md Kabir Hossain, a private-sector employee in Gulshan, said he had hoped to enrol his daughter in an English-medium school but found the expenses prohibitive.
“I’ll look for a good alternative,” he said. “If government schools could ensure quality education and proper socialisation, everyone would send their children there. Otherwise, people will choose alternatives according to their means—that’s only natural.”
Govt response and reform efforts
Education experts argue that reversing the trend will require systemic reforms.
Manzoor Ahmed emphasised the need for a high-quality curriculum, better recruitment of subject-based teachers, regular training and improved salaries and benefits.
Mohammad Moninoor Roshid, a professor at the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka, proposed a more structural solution.
“All schools across the country must be brought to the same standard,” he said. “Catchment area-based compulsory primary education should be introduced so that children from all socio-economic backgrounds attend the same schools. That would reduce inequality.”
Responding to these concerns, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said the government is prioritising teacher training, accountability and classroom management.
Efforts are also under way to ensure effective implementation of the curriculum and to shift away from rote learning towards a more practical, skills-based approach.
“We want an education system where children learn not just for exams, but for life,” he said. “Their critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving abilities must be developed.”
He added that the quality of teaching inside classrooms is more important than simply constructing school buildings.
A system at a crossroads
The country’s public primary education system now stands at a critical juncture. Once a unifying force that brought together children from all walks of life, it is increasingly becoming a fallback option for the most disadvantaged.
As enrolment declines and confidence erodes, the risk is not just institutional failure, but the deepening of social divides from the earliest stages of life.
Unless meaningful reforms restore trust and quality, experts warn, the promise of equitable education for all may remain out of reach.
