13
Chapter-2
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
1.0
Introduction
1.1
Skilled manpower and the development of the human resources are two basic
preconditions to the overall economic development of a country like Bangladesh.
Bangladesh has made significant development in achieving universal primary
education related Millennium Development Goals. Completion of Primary Education
Cycle of the children irrespective of boy and girl by 2015 was the target of MDG-2. In
this case Bangladesh has achieved 97.30percent, 80.50percent, 78.63percent and
59.82percent respectively in net enrollment, percentage of completion of primary
education cycle enrolled in grade-1, literacy rate for 15-24 aged man and women
and literacy rate for 15+ man and women by the year 2013. Education does not only
change skill and thinking of a person but also influences the comprehensive
development of the country. Hence primary education is considered as top priority
everywhere in the world. Education has been considered one of the significant
sectors with a view to create an educated and skilled nation by achieving specific
target and implementing the work plan that drawn in Vision-2021. The Article 17 of
the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has declared the primary
education as compulsory and universal. As a whole, in the context of the
constitutional obligation and government’s priority ministry of primary and mass
education is working to ensure quality primary and mass education for all.
1.2
The major function of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME) is to
formulate and implement policies concerning primary and mass education,
implement and monitor the compulsory primary education program and mass
education program through non-formal education. It also develop the curriculum for
primary and mass education, prepare, print and distribute the textbook, undertake
training and research activities related to primary and mass education and
coordinate the activities of other Ministries, Government agencies and NGOs in the
field of mass literacy and adult education.
2.0
Relevant Policies of the Ministry
The ministry is engaged in the formulation of policy regarding School Management
Committee (SMC), policy regarding teacher's recruitment, transfer of teachers, nonformal education policy and the stipend policy with a view to ensure universal
primary education and participation of local community particularly women in
different levels of primary & mass education. These policies have provided scope for
the active participation of women in teacher's recruitment and transfer along with
primary education management. Recruitment of 60percent female teachers has
been made mandatory and in the case of placement and transfers, female teachers
14
have been given priority to have a transfer near their husbands’ home. In addition,
female teachers have been given priority in teacher's training that ensures their
professional efficiency.
School Management Committee has been made effective in every school to ensure
the decentralization of school management at the field level. Provision of two
female guardians of the students in the committee has been made to ensure the
effective participation of women. In addition to this provision a written instructions
also issued to adopt female teachers as teacher representative in the committee of
respective educational institutions and the nearest secondary educational
institution.
3.0
Ministry Specific National Policy directives in relation to women’s advancement
3.1
Women Development Policy, 2011 has been prepared in the light of the Constitution
of Bangladesh and CEDAW. It also consulted the national and internal policy
strategies to ensure the women’s advancement. The National Plan of Action (NPA)
has been formulated to implement this policy. The obligation of the Ministry of
Primary and Mass Education, as mentioned in this policy and NPA, are as follows:

Elimination of all forms of discrimination against girls and ensuring gender
equality in all areas including within the family;

Ensuring regular attendance of the girl children in educational institutions;

Ensuring necessary measures so that girl children do not become victims of
any sexual harassment, pornography, physical and mental abuse at any places
including educational institutions and streets;

Ensuring opportunity for the girl children for safe and quality recreation,
sports and cultural activities;

Eliminating discrimination against disabled girl children and ensuring their
security in all areas;

Following Education Policy, 2010 to increase the rate of education in women,
to eliminate discrimination in educational opportunities between men and
women and to mainstream women in the development process;

Removing any discriminatory issues against women from the educational
curriculum and books and upholding positive image of women;

Educating and training on nutrition for women;

Taking initiatives for the development of women from the ethnic groups about
their own heritage and culture;

Considering special education only for those who are not able to participate in
the mainstream education process for obvious reasons;
15

3.2
Taking appropriate measures to get disabled women involved in all areas of
life including education. Taking care of disability issues in education sector.
Issues that have been given emphasis regarding women’s advancement and rights in
the Education Policy 2010 are as follows:
4.0

Special fund to be established to increase the rate of female education at
every level and private initiatives including private financing will be
encouraged for this purpose;

Measures will be taken to reduce female school dropouts and bring them back
to mainstream education;

Increase the number of girls enrolling for formal education. In order to inspire
them for higher/professional education, various facilities will be created for
females at different tiers of educational institutes;

Positive and progressive image and the concept of equal rights for women will
be reflected in the reading materials of primary education;

More life stories on inspirational and influential women and essays written by
women will be included in the reading material at the primary level;

Taking measures to prevent dropout of girl students and protect them any
means of harassment during school time;

Establish a conducive environment in schools, and ensure separate hygiene
toilets for the boys and girls;

Giving priority to women in the case of teacher’s recruitment at the primary
level.
Strategic objectives and Activities of the Ministry in relation to Women’s
Advancement
Serial
No.
Medium Term
Strategic Objectives
Activities
1
2
3
 Establishment of new primary schools in the villages without
schools;
1.
To extend universal
access to primary
education
 Construction, reconstruction and extension of classrooms and
routine repair and maintenance of schools;
 Construction of toilets and installation of tube wells;
 Stipend program for poor students;
 School Tiffin program in poverty stricken areas;
 Establishment of child-friendly learning centers in all
16
Serial
No.
Medium Term
Strategic Objectives
Activities
1
2
3
inaccessible areas including char, haor, tea-estates and hill
areas;
 Making all classrooms child-friendly (for boys, girls and
children with special needs);
 Providing one time financial assistance to families of retired,
resigned or deceased teachers from the Welfare Trust.
 Conducting Grade-5 completion examination;
 Introducing I.C.T.-based education at primary level;
 Implementation of School Level Improvement Plan (SLIP);
 Extension of primary education up to class VIII;
2.
To improve the
quality of primary
education
 Skills development of teachers and students in English,
Mathematics and Science at primary level;
 Development of training infrastructure to enhance the quality
of Primary Education;
 Basic training-C-in-Ed-Dip-in-Ed-subject-based training for
teachers;
 Training of personnel associated with school management.
 Providing post literacy and continuing education to the 15-45
years age group neo-literate people in selected areas;
3.
To increase literacy
rate
 Providing basic education and livelihood skill training to 10-14
years age group urban working children in 6 divisional cities;
 Implementation of basic literacy program for 11-45 years age
group in 64 districts.
5.0
Identifying the Gender Gaps in the Activities of the Ministry and Addressing the
Issues
5.1
To ensure the implementation of the Women Development Policy, 2011 all activities
of all Ministries should be in line with the National Action Plan, 2013. For this
reason, initiatives should also be taken to formulate the development projects and
programmes of the Ministry in line with WDP and revise existing projects and
programmes.
5.2
It is found that the development of women has drawn the focus almost in all
activities and programmes of the Ministry. Women are already more successful than
men in the case of teacher's recruitment along with enrollment at the primary level
and completion of primary school education. But in order to reach the goal of quality
primary education, few activities of the Ministry must be made more women
17
friendly. Some new initiatives should also be taken. In both cases the NWDP 2011
and the Education Policy, 2010 to be the yardstick for in designing new activities and
programmes.
5.3
5.4
Some ongoing activities of the Ministry can be made gender focused in following
manner:

In the case of distribution of education allowance and education grants the girl
child with special needs should be given priority;

To improve the quality of primary education the establishment of a conducive
environment in school for the girl students to be considered;

In the case of infrastructure development, priority should be given to ensure
separate toilets for boys and girls including facilities for disabled children;

Positive and progressive image and the concept of equal rights for women
should be reflected in the reading materials of primary education;

More life stories on inspirational and influential women and essays written by
women to be included in the reading material at the primary level;

Undertake initiatives to disseminate human rights issues and women
development strategies among the teachers and officers in the area of primary
education;

To implement the post literacy and continued education and basic literacy
program and separate classrooms for the women need to be used;

Training for the personnel related to the school management should include
issues like regular attendance of the girl children in educational institutions
and necessary measures so that girl children do not become victims of any
sexual harassment, pornography, physical and mental abuse at any places
including educational institutions and streets.
Following activities can be initiated including ongoing ones to ensure primary
education system more women friendly in line with the NWP 2011 and the
Education Policy, 2010:

Ensuring opportunity for the girl children for safe and quality recreation,
sports and cultural activities;

Eliminating all forms of violence against disabled girl children and ensure their
security in all areas;

Eliminating all form of violence against working women including physical,
mental and sexual harassment;
18

Following Education Policy, 2010 to increase the rate of education in women,
to eliminate discrimination in educational opportunities between men and
women and to mainstream women in the development process;

To educate and train on nutritional aspects of women;

Taking initiatives for the development of women from the ethnic groups in
their own heritage and culture;

Taking measures to reduce the school dropouts among girls and bring them
back to mainstream education;

To increase the female officers/staffs in the Ministry/Directorate level to
increase their scope to take part in the policy level decision making process.
6.0
Women’s Participation in Ministries Activities and their Share in Total Expenditure
6.1
The participation of women in the decision making of the MoPME:
Following issues within the MoPME taken into consideration to assess how
successfully the activities of the Ministry are addressing women’s advancement and
rights
6.2

Women as service providers;

Male-female beneficiaries of the activities of the MoPME;

Gender based distribution of allocation and expenditure of the MoPME.
Table-1 exhibits the male-female employment structure to better illustrate women’s
participation in decision making process in the MoPME and across its various
departments and agencies. Notwithstanding the pro-women policies in teacher and
other recruitments, women’s participation in decision making in the Ministry is not
remarkable. In 2013 only 20.9 percent of total officials employed in the primary
education sector were women, as compared to 79.1 percent of male officials. In case
of employees, 22.2 percent were women in 2013, which is higher than that of the
previous year. The number of women officers seen highest in Primary Training
Institutions and the lowest seen in the Bureau of Non-formal Education.
Male and Female Employment structure by Department/Agencies
Officers
2014-15
2013-14
Male Female Male Female
Staff
2014-15
2013-14
Male Female Male Female
Administration
Secretariat
83
17
86
14
88
12
89
11
Department of Primary Education
82
18
80
20
82
18
85
15
Government Primary Schools
52
48
0
0
47
53
48
52
Primary Training Institutes
81
19
68
40
91
9
73
27
19
Officers
2014-15
2013-14
Male Female Male Female
Staff
2014-15
2013-14
Male Female Male Female
Upazila Education Offices
78
22
80
20
84
16
85
15
Bureau of non-formal Education
93
7
92
8
87
13
87
13
78.2
21.8
79.1
20.9
79.8
20.2
77.8
22.2
Total
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
6.3
Women as Service Providers (Teachers): Table 2 shows the role of female teachers
at the primary education level in terms of the male-female teachers’ ratio. It is
notable that 41.8 percent and 58.2 percent of total teachers are male and female
respectively which means that more than half of the total teachers are female in
primary education. The percentage of female teachers among total teachers in
experimental, BRAC and communityschools is 88.8 percent, 9 6.0 percentand 74.4
percentrespectively. In madrasa education the number of female teachers as
compared to their male counterparts is noticeably low.
Male and Female Teachers (2014)
Type of institutes
No. of
schools
No. of total
teachers
No. of
female
teachers
Government Primary
38033
222652
144434
64.9
78218
35.1
New Nationalized Gov. Primary
25008
96460
47396
49.1
49064
50.9
Registered non-gov.
193
771
464
60.2
307
39.8
Non-registered non-gov.
1744
6649
4716
70.9
1933
29.1
55
282
246
87.2
36
10.8
Ebtedaye Madrasa
2673
11673
2300
19.7
9373
80.3
Kindergarten
16170
93799
54813
58.4
38986
41.6
Non-Government Organization
2512
5454
3764
69.0
1690
31.0
Community
120
405
322
79.5
83
20.5
Primary section of Madrasa
5526
19764
2812
14.2
16952
85.8
Primary section of high schools
1511
8301
4450
53.6
3851
46.4
BRAC Centre
7779
7798
7277
93.3
521
6.7
ROSC
3818
3591
2867
79.8
724
20.2
Children Welfare
133
410
277
67.6
133
32.4
Others
3262
4875
2967
60.9
1908
39.1
108537
482884
279105
57.8
203779
42.2
Experimental
Total
percent of No. of male percent
female
teachers of male
teachers
teachers
Source: APSC 2014 (Provisional)
6.4
Male-female beneficiaries involved in activities of the Ministry of Primary and
Mass Education: Three variables namely enrolment rate, completion rate and drop-
20
out rates are considered to identify the beneficiaries of primary education
programme, it can be claimed based on the enrolment rate that significant gender
parity has been attained at the primary level. According to the primary census
report, 2012, 50.2 percent of the total students are girls, which is consistent with the
Millennium Development Goals.
Enrolment of Girls in Primary Education
Type of institutes
2013
2014
Total
Girls
percent
of Girl
Total
Girls
percent
of Girl
10564331
5370884
50.8
10188129
5252022
51.6
-
-
-
4483785
2278239
50.8
Registered non-gov.
4325894
2156108
49.8
38282
19611
51.2
Non-registered non-gov.
443724
215265
48.5
256268
127112
49.6
Experimental
11499
5630
49.0
10652
5250
49.3
Community
207526
106080
51.1
16747
8679
51.8
Kindergarten
1798500
817038
45.4
1988365
914016
46.0
N.G.O.
212212
108484
51.1
210170
107898
51.3
Ebtedaye Madrasa
344120
166443
48.4
372277
181341
48.7
Primary section of Madrasa
845438
410528
48.6
871047
427341
49.1
Primary section of high schools
467926
242888
51.9
572751
295659
51.6
BRAC Centre
214161
129590
60.5
324438
185873
57.3
ROSC
93993
47634
50.7
106884
53751
50.3
Children Welfare
11030
5796
52.5
15665
8284
52.9
Others
44618
21652
48.5
97519
48808
50.0
19584972
9804020
50.1
19552979
9913884
50.7
Gov. Primary
New Nationalized Gov. Primary
Total:
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
6.5
It is observed in 2014 that the rate of girls’ primary level completion is higher that of
boys.
Girls’ Primary level Completion rate
Year
Primary level completion rate
Boys
Girls
2005-06
51.7
56.7
2006-07
47.1
53.3
2007-08
48.9
54.9
2008-09
52.9
57.0
2009-10
57.1
62.2
2010-11
59.7
60.2
21
Year
Primary level completion rate
Boys
Girls
2011-12
67.6
73.0
2012-13
73.5
77.0
2013-14
97.88
97.97
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
6.6
Women’s Share in Ministry’s Total Expenditure
Budget 2015-16
Description
Total Budget
Budget
Revised 2014-15
Women Share
Women
percent
2,95,100 79,087
Revised
Women Share
Women percent
26.8
2,39,668
64,087
26.74
(Taka in Crore)
Budget 2014-15
Budget
Women Share
Women percent
2,50,497 66,739
26.64
Ministry Budget
14,504
6,394
44.08
12,420
5,992
48.24
13,677
6,875
50.27
Development
5,542
3,684
66.47
4,333
3,380
78.01
5,778
4,368
75.6
Non-Development
8,963
2,710
30.24
8,087
2,612
32.3
7,898
2,507
31.74
Source: RCGP database
7.0
Achievement of Key Performance Indicators in relation to Women’s Advancement
in the last three Years
Indicator
Unit
1
Female teachers in primary education (GPS)
2
percent
2011-12
3
61.70
Rate of completion of primary education of female
students
percent
97.2
Actual
2012-13
4
63.0
2013-14
5
64.9
98.5
97.97
8.0
Success in Promoting Women’s Advancement:
8.1
The National plan of Action (NPA-1) for the period of 1991-2000 has been
implemented with the objective of achieving the goal depicted in the MDGs and
Education for All (EFA). The ongoing NPA-2 (2003-2013) of MoPME was formulated
in line with the “Vision 2021”. As envisaged in NPA-2 education for all to be achieved
by 2015. T he Ministry is taking necessary steps to reach the goal within 2014. In
order to realize this goal, MoPME has undertaken specific activities with a view to
extending educational facilities and providing quality primary education. The
Ministry has taken steps to improve the infrastructural amenities in urban areas
along with constructing educational institutes in rural areas. As a result, enrollment
at the primary level has increased. Simultaneously there is significant decline in the
drop-out rate.
8.2
MoPME is responsible for operating more than 82 percent of the total primary
educational institutes around the country. Around 90 percent of total children at
primary level are enrolled in these schools. Around 50.4 percent of the students at
the primary level are girls who contribute to building a prosperous future for all. The
22
policy for recruiting 60 percent female teachers has been maintained. The significant
number of recruitment of female teachers in primary schools broadens the scope of
employment and enhances the social dignity of women.
8.3
The Ministry also renders adults literacy and non-formal educational opportunities
for men and women who were deprived of fundamental education at their early life
and who dropped out of primary or secondary education. These activities provide
basic education to adult women who were deprived of formal education and help
them attain self-sufficiency.
8.4
The participation of women has given due priority in implementing the Universal
Primary Education Programme, hundred percent enrollment and completion of the
primary education cycle. To reach the goal and to create public awareness Mother's
Day is being celebrated in schools and the opinion of mothersare being used to
implement the activities. Besides this the female guardians are actively involved in
the School Feeding Programme and Stipend Policy has been formulated taking into
consideration of the stipend to be given to the mother of the female students.
8.5
The main objective of the MoPME is to ensure standard quality primary and basic
education for all through expansion of facilities and improvement of quality. The
medium-term strategic objectives in achieving these are - to extend universal access
to primary education, to improve quality of primary education, to increase literacy
rate and infuse dynamism in the post-literacy program. Following initiatives have
been taken to implement the strategic objectives:

The coverage of the stipend program has been extended to bring the female
students under the compulsory primary education for all program of the
Ministry. About 50.4 percent of total students of primary level are female. The
rate of non-admission and drop-out are much higher in girls coming from poor
families in comparison to boys of similar families. To minimize the number of
non-admission and drop-outs, stipends (100 taka for a student and 125 taka
for students having siblings) are given to more than 7.81 million students of
disadvantaged families. The number of scholarships (talent pool) has been
increased from 20,000 to 22,000 and the number of common scholarship has
been increased to 33,000 from 30,000. Moreover, a school meal programme
for more than 2.84 million children has been undertaken. All these activities
are expected to contribute towards increasing enrolment of students,
especially girls’ enrolment.

The total number of teachers at primary level is about 449,799 of which about
261,887(58.2 percent) are female. In government primary schools 214,792
teachers are employed, of which 135,319 (6 3.0 percent) are women.
According to the above statistics of 2012, it is found that the number of
female teachers in primary schools is satisfactory.
23

Infrastructure development is necessary for women friendy environment.
Targeted activities towards this end have been taken by MoPME. Pure drinking
water supply and establishing wash block in all primary school has been
initiated under the ongoing PEDP-3 project. As a direct result of these
facilities, increasing number of girl child encouraged to go to school and
facilitate the expansion of female education in the country.

In order to ensure quality primary education teachers training on basic and
subjects is fundamental. Also training for officials related to primary education
and School Management Committee members are also being imparted. In
addition, the 1 year long Certificate-in-Education will be converted into
Diploma-in-Primary Education having one and half year duration. These
trainings are expected to increase skill and efficiency of teachers and other
relevant personnel in primary education system. It is also expected that
women will be benefited directly from these programs.

60percent female quota in the teachers’ recruitment of primary education is
being ensured.
8.6
The children learn to speak and write from their mother. The contribution of a
mother to her child for their primary education along with bringing up them is not
valued. The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education will take initiatives for the
publicity of this sacrifice of women to create awareness for them in the society.
9.0
Obstacles to achieve targets related to Women’s Advancement:
9.1
Several initiatives have been taken to ensure the participation of women in the
primary education management along with primary education in spite of limited
resources. The women at the field level do not have access to all benefits of these
facilities yet. The following obstacles still persist which hamper participation of girls
in primary education:

As the communication system is not proper in remote areas (specially hilly
areas), female students of primary schools are not interested in going to
school;

As the benefits and facilities granted by the government do not have much
publicity, expected outcome is not achieved yet;

Girls in many non-government primary schools are not interested to come to
school as there are no separate toilets for them;

Many female students do not enroll because of the prevailing superstition in
the society.
24
10.0
Progress on Recommended Activities in the Previous Year
Serial
No.
The Recommendations of 2014-15
Gender Report for the Ministry
Progress of Recommended Activities
1.
There must be provisions for
separate toilet (wash blocks) for
female teachers and students in
every primary school
Under PEDP-3 project separate wash block having three
toilets with running water is under process of
construction. Already 4481 wash blocks have been
constructed.
Along with the stipend programme
for female students, proper
publicity should be undertaken
with parents of female students so
that they do not face gender
discrimination at home;
Stipend program has been initiated to increase female
student enrollment and to prevent their dropout. The
time period of stipend program has been increased for
another two years to encourage the female students to
enroll in primary school, ensure their attendance and to
encourage them to complete the education cycle. The
expansion of the coverage of the programme and
expansion of the time period is under process. The
stipend is given to the student's mother, s o that the
mothers are encouraged to send their daughters to
school.
It should be ensured
that the
recruitment of female teachers
and
selection
of
female
chairperson of school governing
body is increased in backward
community and small ethnic
groups of the country;
Like the system prevailing in the plain land, two
female guardians from the backward community,
have been selected in School Management
Committee while females belonging to small ethnic
groups of the country have been given priority to
become the representative of the local people in the
committee. It is mandatory that 60 percent of the
teachers who are recruited must be women. Besides
that, the educational qualification that is required
for recruitment has been reduced for women
candidates. Female teachers are given more
facilities In the case of teacher's transfer and their
placement in posting. In the Hill Tractareas t hese
activities are implemented and monitored by Hill
Tracts Zilla Parishad.
4.
Necessary action should be taken
to prevent drop-out and increase
the admission of female students
in pre-primary education;
Instructions have been given at the school level to
increase the enrollment rate of female students in
pre-primary schools. Importance has been given to
Mother's Day celebrations at school level and
parents are being informed about the facilities
provided by the Government.
5.
In the primary curriculum the
women's positive and progressive
The women's positive and progressive image and
equal rights have been reflected in the primary
2.
3.
25
Serial
No.
The Recommendations of 2014-15
Gender Report for the Ministry
image should be highlighted;
6.
7.
Progress of Recommended Activities
curriculum. As an example both male and female
names are used in the curriculum to prevent gender
bias.
Emphasis should be given to
nutritional needs of the female
students;
With the assistance of the Government and
Development partners, the poor female students
belonging to 82 poverty stricken Upazillas are given
highly nutritious biscuits every day. Besides,
nutritious Mid-Day Meal is given to different schools
of the country through private initiatives. The
drafting of the National School Feeding Programme
is being formulated to encourage private and nongovernment personnel to take these kinds of
initiatives.
It should be ensured that the
female students do not face eveteasing inschool.
The School Management Committee is taking
several social awareness activities to spread
awareness on eve-teasing in school. Beside, legal
measures are being taken against the accused by
the assistance of law enforcing agencies if any
incident takes place.