Expenditure per student in both primary and secondary has increased
Education is one of the basic human needs. A report has revealed that this education expenditure has increased at a significant rate. It is said that the annual expenditure of a family has increased by 25 percent in primary and 51 percent in secondary.
This information was given at a press conference titled 'Bangladesh School Education: Pandemic Response to Sustainable Recovery' organized by Mass Literacy Campaign at Cirdap Auditorium at 11 am on Saturday (March 30). Such a picture is found in the Education Watch-2023 report.
According to the report, an average of Tk. 13 thousand 882 is spent annually for a primary school student in the country. But the cost is less in the village than in the city. An average of Tk. 10 thousand 637 is spent in villages and Tk.18 thousand 132 in cities. In the first six months of 2023, this cost has increased by Tk. 8 thousand 647 or 25 percent.
On the other hand, the average annual expenditure per student in secondary schools is Tk. 27 thousand 340. Out of this, Tk. 22 thousand 909 are spent in villages and maximum Tk. 35 thousand 662 in city corporation areas.
In the first six months of last year, this cost has increased by at least Tk. 20 thousand 712 or 51 percent. This report was published by comparing January to December 2022 and January to June 2023.
In the presentation of the report, the speakers said that the financial capacity of the parents has decreased due to the increase in the cost of goods. On the other hand, education expenditure has increased. Due to this day by day education is becoming optional.
Giving the information of the report, they said that due to lack of proper teaching in the classroom during the Corona period, the students became dependent on the guide book.
According to the data of the report, the reliance on Note guide was 92 percent in primary and 93 percent in secondary during the post-Corona period. At this time, about 50 percent of the students of both levels said that they had difficulty in understanding the lessons in the classroom.
Convener of Education Watch gave a welcome speech at the event. Mushtaq Reza Chowdhury, executive director of mass literacy campaign Rasheda K Chowdhury and deputy director Mustafizur Rahman spoke. The closing speech of the program was given by the Chairperson of Education Watch Kazi Khakhlikuzzman Ahmad. The chief researcher of education Manjur Ahmed, member of the research team, Syed Shahadat Hossain, Professor Mahfuza Khanam and Dr. Mostafizur Rahman were present in the event.