The Citizen’s Platform for SDGs, Bangladesh has urged the government to transform its extensive education promises into solid financial commitments in the upcoming budget.
During an event in Agargaon, the platform cautioned that BNP government’s 50-point education plan could remain merely rhetoric due to a history of inadequate funding, poor project execution, and institutional weaknesses.
Towfiqul Islam Khan, additional director (Research) at Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), presented a research paper titled “Upcoming Budget and Education: Political Pledges and Citizen’s Expectations,” noting a broad national agreement that the education sector requires a significant shift in direction.
He highlighted that the next national budget represents the most vital tool for turning political promises into tangible results.
Financial and implementation gaps
The research indicated that despite long-term policy goals, such as Eighth Five-Year Plan’s aim to allocate 3 percent of GDP to education by FY2025, actual spending has remained at a low 1.3 per cent in recent years.
Furthermore, the efficiency of budget utilisation has dropped from 99 per cent during FY2009-15 to just 76 per cent in the FY2023-25 period.
Development spending has seen an even more dramatic decline, with the primary education ministry spending only 53 per cent of its allocated funds, while secondary, higher, and technical divisions each utilised only 46 per cent.
This fiscal constraint is exacerbated by a record-low tax-to-GDP ratio of 6.8 per cent in FY25.
Annual Development Programme (ADP) revealed that out of 101 ongoing education projects, 34 have already exceeded their deadlines and are currently unable to access funds without new approval.
These stalled projects represent 37 per cent of the total RADP allocations for FY2026. Additionally, 70 projects have undergone revisions, and it is expected that no current project will fully utilise its budget.
Persistent systemic hurdles
Reviewing major initiatives like PEDP-3 and SESDP, the platform identified six consistent reasons for project failure: impractical designs, high turnover in leadership, procurement delays, massive unresolved audit objections, slow initial spending, and the failure to use funds at the school level. The research warned that the government would enter FY27 burdened by many incomplete “carryover” projects.
The study examined 50 education-related pledges, including 13 that require new funding, such as hiring 9,000 religious educators and providing English training to 247,000 primary teachers.
However, the commitment to double annual scholarship funding to Tk368 crore is the only one with a clear cost estimate.
The platform also noted a trend where government reforms focus heavily on physical procurement – such as tablets and Wi-Fi – rather than improving classroom learning outcomes.
Discrepancies in field implementation
A field assessment across 10 districts in early May uncovered significant flaws in flagship programmes. Mid-day meals were found to consist mostly of bakery items, with some students reporting stale or fungus-ridden food. While guidelines suggest fresh produce, bananas were the only fruit provided.
Regarding free uniforms and shoes, teachers reported a lack of official instructions, and quality differences remain visible among students from poorer backgrounds.
The platform suggested using direct cash transfers to parents to minimise corruption and administrative hurdles.
Digital initiatives also face hurdles; while most schools have Wi-Fi infrastructure, power outages frequently render it useless, forcing teachers to use their own mobile data.
Multimedia classrooms are often limited to just one or two rooms per school, and digital instruction is regularly interrupted by load shedding. The paper recommended implementing solar power backups and continuous ICT training for staff.
Outlook and monitoring
The platform said the FY27 budget offers a chance for a “fresh start” with the beginning of PEDP-5 and a new secondary education scheme. It warned that “ghosts of the past,” including governance issues and fiscal constraints, remain significant challenges.
Progress will be monitored via five benchmarks, assessing whether funds match priorities and if transparency is maintained. The platform’s Reform Tracker will be used to follow the implementation of these budgetary and electoral promises.
The research was conducted by a team led by Towfiqul, including Debapriya Bhattacharya and Mustafizur Rahman, with support from various organisations such as ActionAid, Helvetas Bangladesh, SAJIDA Foundation, and World Vision.
