Education Quality in Bangladesh Hits Rock Bottom, Putting Future Generations at Risk

Staff Correspondent

The quality of education in Bangladesh has declined at an alarming rate. Students’ reading skills, subject-based knowledge, and ability to apply them in real life have seriously declined. The international acceptance of Bangladeshi degrees is also constantly being questioned.

According to the World Bank, Bangladeshi students study for 11 years in school, but in reality they are only receiving the equivalent of 6.5 years of education by international standards. That is, there is a deficit of about four and a half years, which is a major indication of the poor quality of education.

Half of the students at the primary level cannot read textbooks, and after secondary school, students are still far behind in international standards. Universities are not able to achieve good positions in international rankings. Although the creative education system has been in place in the country for a long time, it is practically ineffective. Even 13 percent of the unemployed in the country have a bachelor’s degree.

Several international reports have listed Bangladesh, India, and Nigeria as lagging behind in terms of education, while Peru, Indonesia, and Vietnam have made significant progress. Vietnam is particularly far ahead of Bangladesh in primary education.

Experts believe that teacher shortage, lack of training, weak curriculum, instability of educational institutions and lack of infrastructure are all seriously affecting the quality of education. The lag in technology-based and skill-based education is also a major reason. Moreover, the qualitative changes brought by Sheikh Hasina’s government in primary and secondary schools were canceled by the Yunus government after coming to power. As a result, the education system is in a big mess.

UGC Chairman Dr. S. M. A. Faiz said that while there are concerns about the quality of education, there is potential for improvement. However, it is necessary to increase the budget, encourage talented people to become teachers, and increase investment in research.

Currently, there are 172 universities in the country, but none have been ranked in international rankings. In the 2024-25 academic year, more than 90 percent of students failed the admission test of Dhaka University in the science and arts departments, which paints a sad picture of the quality of education.

According to the Department of Primary Education, most students in grades three and five have not achieved the expected proficiency in Bengali and mathematics. At the secondary level, students’ performance in English and mathematics is also weak.

Recently, the Dhaka University bachelor’s degree has been evaluated as a ‘foundation course’ in Singapore, which raises questions about the international standard of the degree. Even the National University’s bachelor’s degree has been considered as a ‘diploma’.

DU Professor Dr. Moninur Rashid said, “The lack of education policy, absence of vision and sudden changes in curriculum are causing the country to lag behind. While neighboring countries are moving forward, we are stagnant.”

The government canceled the creative approach introduced in 2009 and the new curriculum for 2023 before it yielded the desired results. Bangladesh was ranked 129th out of 135 countries in the 2022 Creativity Index.

Bangladesh also lags behind in other education indicators. Bangladesh ranked 120th in the Global Knowledge Index, 116th in the Innovation Index, and the lowest in South Asia.

Principal Md. Rahmat Ullah believes that students are not developing reading habits, teachers are taking classes without preparation and sincerity. Most teachers did not enter this profession willingly, as a result, they have less responsibility. Incentives should be increased to bring talented people into teaching.

Bangladesh’s once-famous reputation for medical education is gone. The World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) has yet to recognize Bangladesh. This has led to a decline in interest from foreign students, and concerns about the international acceptance of the country’s MBBS degree.

The latest BBS survey showed that 13.5 percent of the country’s total unemployed have a bachelor’s degree. Another 7 percent of the unemployed have a high school diploma. That is, one out of every five unemployed people has a higher education.

On the other hand, many countries around the world are emphasizing technology, practical skills, technical education, agriculture and science-based education in their education systems. While Finland’s education system is held up as an example, Sudheejan feels that there is a clear lack of oversight by education policymakers in Bangladesh.