27
Chapter 3
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
1.
Introduction
1.1
One of the major preconditions of economic development is to foster skilled
manpower. Primary education is the ladder towards reaching skill
development which is considered on the basis for all kinds of education.
Education is a public good and the social return to education is higher than
the private return. This is why primary education is given emphasis in every
country. Education has been identified as one of the priority sector of the
government in "Vision-2021" and specific objective and action plan have been
formulated to develop an educated and capable nation. The Constitution of
Bangladesh (Article: 17) declares the commitment of the state to ensure free
and compulsory education for all and the Ministry of Primary and Mass
Education is mandated to comply with the commitment.
1.2
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
Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and Education for All (EFA). NPA-2
(2003-2013)of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education was formulated in
line with the “Vision 2021”and it is in the implementation phase. Ministry of
Primary and Mass Education has an objective according to NPA-2 to achieve
education for all within 2015. The ministry is taking necessary actions to
reach the goal within 2014. In order to actualize this goal, the Ministry of the
Primary and Mass Education (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, number of enrollments at the primary level has increased.
Concurrently, a significant trend in decline of drop-outs has also been
observed.
1.3
MoPME is responsible for operating more than 82 percent of the total primary
educational institutes around the country. Around 90 percent of total children
getting their education at primary level are enrolled in these schools. Around
50.4 percent of the pupils at primary level are girls. Getting primary education
equips girl children in building a prosperous future for them. The 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.
28
1.4
Illiteracy is non-desirable for any nation. The rate of illiteracy in Bangladesh is
remains quite high. . MoPME has continued its relentless effort to lower the
rate of illiteracy in the country. 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 offormal education and help them attain selfsufficiency.
2.0
Major Functions of the Ministry
•
Formulate and implement policies concerning primary and mass
education;
•
Implement and monitor the compulsory primary education program;
•
Implement mass education program, through non-formal education;
•
Develop curriculum for primary and mass education;
•
Prepare, print and distribute textbooks;
•
Undertake training and research activities related to primary and mass
education;
•
Coordinate activities of other Ministries, Government agencies and NGOs
in the field of mass literacy and adult education.
3.0
Strategic objectives of the Ministry and their Relevance with
Women’s Advancement and Rights:
3.1
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. With the purpose of achieving this objective, the medium-term
strategic objectives are:
3.2
To extend universal access to primary education: Around 1.00 core
students will be benefited through school feeding program, establishment of
1500 new schools in the villages without school, 41,000 new class room
constructions and 23,000 school reconstructions, expansion and renovation.
Stipend Program for 7.87 million students and School Tiffin Program for 2.85
million students are going on. Approximately 50% of the existing beneficiary
students are girls. As a result, these programs are contributing to women’s
advancement in terms of better access to primary education.
29
3.3
To improve quality of primary education: Teachers’ training is one of the
key programs for improvement of quality in primary education. On average,
11,500 teachers receive training each year. Currently, 52% of all teachers are
female and there is provision for recruitment of 60% female teachers in
government primary schools. These programs will contribute in developing
and empowering women including enhancing their social status in the work
place, increased participation in labor market, income-generating activities
and decision-making process.
3.4
To increase literacy rate and infuse dynamism in the post-literacy
program: About 50% of the total 1.17 crore beneficiaries of post literacy and
continuing education programme are women. Life-skill development training
conducted under this programme will contribute positively to their socioeconomic situation. 60% of the 200,000 working children in urban areas who
are receiving life-skill development based basic education are female as well.
This programme hence will contribute positively towards enhancement of their
social status, security and employment potential.
4.0
Relevance of the Roles and Responsibilities of the Ministry for
Women’s Advancement and Rights
4.1
One of the major functions of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education is
to formulate and implement policies concerning primary and mass education.
The issues that has been given emphasis regardingwomen advancement and
rights in the Education Policy 2010 are as follows:
•
A special fund will be formed for the advancement of female education at
every tier. Private initiatives and financing will be encouraged for this
purpose.
•
Measures will be taken in order to reduce the school dropouts among girls
and bring them back to mainstream education.
•
Increased number of girls will be brought under the umbrella of formal
education. In order to inspire them for higher/professional education,
various facilities beneficial for female education at different tiers of
educational institutes will be created.
•
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.
30
•
Taking measures to prevent dropouts among girls. It will be ensured that
the girls are not harassed at schools;
•
Establish a conducive environment in school, and ensure separate toilets
for boys and girls;
•
Giving priority to women in the case of teacher’s recruitment.
4.2
About 50.4 percent of total students of primary level are female students. The
rates of non-admission and drop-outs are much higher for 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 ratio of boys and girls enrolment in
2001 was 51.1:48.9, while in 2011 this ratio became 49.6:50.4.
4.3
The total number of teachers at primary level is about 458,389 of which about
246,306 (53.7 percent) are female teachers. In government primary schools
201,900 teachers are employed, of which 124,625 (61.7 percent) are women.
In FY 2012-13, Tk. 6.40 billion has been allocated for the payroll of registered
non-government primary, and community school teachers. Half of the
beneficiaries of these allocations are women.
4.4
Infrastructure development is necessary for women friendy environment. The
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has targeted initiatives to ensure
greater accessibility to infrastructure to women and girls. According to primary
school census report of 2010, 73.3 percent of schools have separate toilets
for girls, compared to only 37 percent in 2005. More than 78 percent of
schools have arrangements for drinking water, and 60 percent have access to
arsenic-free water. As a direct result of these facilities, there has been a
visible increase in the number of girls attending schools. Government is
continuing its efforts to ensure increase in the supply of arsenic free water
and other facilities in primary schools.
4.5
In order to ensure quality of education it is most important to have skilled and
trained teachers. Different kinds of trainings, e.g. basic and subject-based
training for primary teachers, and trainings for officials related to primary
education and school management committee members are being imparted.
31
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 will prompt efficiency of teachers and others relevant personnel in
primary education system. Women will be benefited directly from these
programs.
4.6
The percentage of students’ completion rate at primary level is gradually
increasing which indicates reduction in drop-out rates. The rate of primary
level completion in 2005 was 53.9 percent, which rose to 70.30 percent in
2012. It is worthwhile to mention that the rate of completion of education cycle
is higher for girls (73.0 percent) than that for boys 67.6 percent).
4.7
To assess how successfully the activities of the ministry are addressing
women’s advancement and rights, the following issues within the Ministry of
Primary and Mass Education are taken into consideration:
•
Women participation in decision making in the Ministry of Primary and
Mass Education
•
Women as service providers (female male teacher ratio)
•
Male-female beneficiaries of the activities of the Ministry of Primary and
Mass Education
4.8
Women participation in decision making in the Ministry of Primary and
Mass Education: Table-2.1 exhibits male-female employment structure to
better illustrate women’s participation in decision making process in the
Ministry of Primary and Mass Education 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
so remarkable. In 2012 only 17.2 percent of total officials employed in the
primary education sector were women, as compared to 81.8 percent of male
officials. However, gender parity is more visible in the case of government
primary schools.
4.9
In the Secretariat, 14 percent of the officers were women in 2012, which is 1
percent lower than that of the previous year. The number of women officers is
highest in Primary Training. In contrast, the percentage of women officials is
lowest in the Bureau of Non-formal Education.
32
Table-1
Male and Female Employment structure by Department/Agencies
Officers
2011-12
Staff
2012-13
2011-12
2012-13
Male Female Male Female Male Female
Male Female
Administration
Secretariat
86
14
85
15
89
10
89
11
Department of Primary
Education
81
19
81
19
87
11
88
12
Government Primary Schools
0
0
0
0
48
52
50
50
Primary Training Institutes
66
34
68
32
73
26
75
25
Upazila Education Offices
80
20
83
17
88
11
88
12
Bureau of non-formal
Education
92
8
95
5
87
12
87
13
81.0
18.0
81.8
17.2
78.6
20.4
79.5
19.7
Total
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
4.10
Women as Service Providers (Teachers): Table 3.2 shows the role of
female teachers at the primary education level in terms of the male-female
teachers’ ratio. It is notable that 50 percent of total teachers are female. The
percentage of female teachers is highest in case of experimental and BRAC
schools where 81.5 percent and 98.3 percent of total teachers are female
respectively. In madrasa education the number of female teachers as
compared to their male counterparts is noticeably low.
Table-2
Male and Female Teachers (2011)
Type of institutes
No. of
schools
No. of
total
teachers
No. of
female
teachers
% of
female
No. of
male
% of
male
teachers teachers teachers
Gov. Primary
37,672
201,900
124,625
61.7
77,275
38.27
Registered non-gov.
20,068
73,211
26,580
36.3
46,631
63.69
1485
6,045
4,110
68.0
1,935
32.0
55
216
176
81.5
40
18.5
Community
3,133
9,972
7,550
75.7
2,422
24.3
Kindergarten
10,537
98,119
58,419
59.5
39,700
40.5
N.G.O.
1936
5,022
3,512
69.9
1,510
30.1
Ebtedaye Madrasa
2,062
10,059
1,572
15.6
8,487
84.4
Primary section of Madrasa
4,366
250,585
3,349
12.9
22,706
87.10
Primary section of high
schools
1,494
21,292
10,460
49.1
10,832
50.9
Non-registered non-gov.
Experimental
33
Type of institutes
No. of
total
teachers
No. of
female
teachers
No. of
schools
% of
female
No. of
male
% of
male
teachers teachers teachers
BRAC Centre
4,390
4,096
4,027
98.3
69
1.7
ROSC
2,344
2,191
1,777
81.1
414
18.9
70
211
149
70.6
62
29.4
89,712
458,389
246,306
53.7
212,083
46.3
Children Welfare
Total
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
4.11
Male-female beneficiaries of the activities of the Ministry of Primary and
Mass Education: To identify the beneficiaries of primary education
programme, three variables were focused on: enrolment rate, completion
rate, and drop-out rates.
4.12
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, 2011, 50.4 percent of the total students are girls, which is consistent
with the Millennium Development Goals.
Table-3
Girls and women as beneficiaries: Enrolment Rates
2010
Type of institutes
Total
2011
Girls
(in thousand) (in thousand)
%
of Girl
Total
Girls
(in thousand) (in thousand)
%
of Girl
Gov. Primary
9,885,697
5,061,165
51.2
10,687,349
5,450,638
51.0
Registered non-gov.
3,643,925
1,836,796
50.4
3,838,932
1,936,115
50.4
102,921
50,975
49.5
223,295
111,479
49.9
9,080
4,556
50.2
10,072
4,934
Community
460,533
232,406
50.5
508,862
259,926
51.1
Kindergarten
515,992
227,923
44.2
1,227,239
545,977
44.5
41,106
20,707
50.4
142,618
75,440
52.9
243,212
126,366
52.0
309,479
152,557
49.3
1,719,224
830,194
48.3
747,321
365,856
49.0
282,853
145,498
51.4
506,183
255,536
50.5
non-registered non-gov.
Experimental
N.G.O.
Ebtedaye Madrasa
Primary section of
Madrasa
Primary section of high
schools
49.0
BRAC Centre
-
-
-
149,852
93,339
62.3
ROSC
-
-
-
73,566
37,276
50.7
Children Welfare
-
-
-
7,731
4,246
54.9
18,432,499
9,293,319
50.4
Total
16,904,547
8,536,586
49.8
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
34
4.13
As observed from the rate of completion and drop-out rates, the completion
rates for girls are higher than that of the boys.
Table-4
Girls’ Primary level Completion rate
Primary level completion
rate
Year
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
2011-12
67.6
73.0
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
Table-5
Drop-out Rates among Girls
Year
Drop-outs
2005-06
47.2
2006-07
50.5
2007-08
50.5
2008-09
49.3
2009-10
45.1
2010-11
39.8
2011-12
29.7
Source: Ministry of Primary and Mass Education
5.0
Priority Spending Areas and Benefits for Women’s Advancement:
Priority Spending Area/Programs
Benefits for Women's Advancement
(Direct and Indirect)
1. Development of Skills of Teachers:
To ensure quality education, the teacher-student
ratio should be reduced to an appropriate level
(1:30). At present the teacher-student ratio is
1:46. Each year a large number of teachers are
recruited to decrease this ratio. However, mere
recruitment of teachers cannot ensure the
quality; rather it is more important to have trained
teachers. Efforts are being made for qualitative
improvement in education through imparting
various training including C-in-Ed and subject
• The recruitment policy for primary teachers
provides opportunities for employing 60%
female teachers. At present 246,306
teachers employed at the primary level are
female out of a total of 458,389. On an
average 20,000 teachers per annum
receive training of which half are women.
These trainings extend the opportunity for
female education and training and also for
participation in decision-making processes
at the working place.
35
Priority Spending Area/Programs
Benefits for Women's Advancement
(Direct and Indirect)
based training to the teachers engaged in
primary education. The essence of training for
teachers needs no further explanation. As the
role of training for the improvement of the quality
of education is such an important factor, it has
been assigned the highest priority.
2. Construction of new schools, Repair/
Reconstruction/Maintenance
of
existing
infrastructures:
Child friendly infrastructures play a vital role in
improving the quality of education. To ensure
child-friendly infrastructures, re-construction/
repair/renovation of infrastructures during the 60s
and 80s have been given priority. Construction of
42,000 new classrooms and 1500 new schools in
areas without schools has been given priority.
3. School Tiffin Program
School Tiffin-programme has been introduced to
facilitate completion of education cycle,
increased attendance, reduce drop-out, and
ensuring nutrition for students of marginal
families.2.8.million students of 96 extreme poor
upazilas are getting 75 grams of highly nutritious
biscuits everyday through two projects.
4. Stipend/Education Allowances
Stipend and education allowances are given to
the children of marginal poor families and
deprived students to increase attendances,
improve the completion of the education cycle
and too eliminate the propensity for drop out.
Education allowances are provided to the
deprived children of 60 selected upazila’s of the
country. As a result of these education
allowances and stipends, net admission and
attendant rate will increase and the rate of dropouts will be reduced.
5. Introduction of pre-primary education in all
schools
The fundamental difference between the quality
of education between rural and urban areas is
due to the non-availability of MoPME controlled
pre-primary schools. It is possible to ensure
quality in primary education by introducing preprimary education in 62,000 MoPME controlled
schools.
• Child and women friendly infrastructures,
like separate toilets for women are being
constructed. The construction of women/
girl centric facilities will encourage more
girls to go to schools, which in effect will
result in female education development.
• While women in general are deprived, the
situation is even worse for poor marginal
families. In recognition of this fact, half of
the 2.8.million students of the poorest
households receiving biscuits are girls.
Therefore, opportunities for improved
nutrition, and for receiving public resource
and services are being extended at least
for 1.4 million girls.
• Stipends are being provided for 7.8 million
students and education allowances for 0.5
million students. As girls are perceived to
be more disadvantaged in society than
their male counterparts, these stipend
programmes extend the opportunity for
female education. Half of the beneficiaries
of primary education are girls. Therefore,
these programs have profound impact on
women development and in receiving
government resource and services.
• Half of the students of pre-primary schools
are girls. Moreover, more posts will be
created for teachers at pre-primary level.
Consequently, there will be an increased
number of employment opportunities
created for women.
36
Priority Spending Area/Programs
Benefits for Women's Advancement
(Direct and Indirect)
6. Removal of illiteracy, post
continued education program
literacy and
Measures will be taken to provide literacy of 373
million 11-45 year olds and also to improve the
literacy knowledge of 117 million literate people
aged from 15-25. Beneficiaries from these
trainings will be able to apply their skills in
income enhancing activities that will play a
significant role in the financial improvement of
themselves and their families.
6.0
• Half of the beneficiaries of post literacy and
continued education program are women.
The training provided for life skill
development has profound impact on
women development. 60% beneficiaries of
the 0.2 million boys and girls receiving
quality life skill development trainings are
girls. As a result these programs have
impact on increased social dignity,
women’s empowerment, and participation
of women in income generating activities.
Women’s Share in Ministry’s Total Expenditure
Budget 2013-14
Description
Budget
Women Share
Women
%
2,22,491
61,575
27.68
Ministry Budget
11,935
6,325
53.00
Development
5,278
3,730
Non- Development
6,657
2,595
Total National Budget
(Taka in Crore)
Budget 2012-13
Revised 2012-13
Revised
Women Share
Women
%
54,304
28.68
9,457
4,022
42.53
70.67
3,916
1,874
38.98
5,541
2,148
1,89,334
Budget
Women Share
Women
%
50,340
26.25
9,832
4,351
44.25
47.85
4,382
2,315
52.83
38.77
5,450
2,036
37.36
1,91,737
Table-6
Top ten highest allocation projects
Sl.
Name of Projects
No.
Estimated Total
Budget
(In Crore Taka)
Share for
Women’s
Dev. (%)
3673.36
70.00
Budget for
Women’s Dev.
(In Crore Taka)
1.
Third Primary Education Development
Programme (PEDP-3)
2.
School feeding Programme in Poverty prone
areas (01/01/2011-31/12/2014
493.00
90.00
443.70
3.
Establishment of 1500 New Primary school
Buildings in the unschooled areas
300.00
40.00
120.00
4.
Reaching Out of School Children Project (2nd
Phase) (01/01/2013-31/12/2017)
248.99
90.00
224.09
5.
Govt. Primary School Reconstruction &
Renewetion Project (2nd Phase)
170.00
60.00
102.00
6.
Construction of PTI in the District -Jhalokathi,
Shariyatpur, Narayanganj, Lalmanirhat,
Gopalgonj, Dhaka, Sherpur, Narail, Maherpur,
Bandarban, Khagrachari and Rajbari.
(01/01/2011-30/06/2014)
100.00
70.00
70.00
7.
Primary Education Development Project (IDB)
86.00
70.00
60.20
8.
EC Assisted School Feeding Program
(01/01/2009-31/12/2014)
48.00
90.00
43.20
2571.35
37
Sl.
Estimated Total
Budget
Name of Projects
No.
Share for
Women’s
Dev. (%)
(In Crore Taka)
Budget for
Women’s Dev.
(In Crore Taka)
9.
Basic Education for Hard to Reach Urban
Working Children (2nd Phase) 01/07/04 30/06/12)
33.00
90.00
29.70
10.
English in Action (01/07/2011-31/12/2017)
30.70
25.00
7.68
Total of 10 Projects :
5183.05
70.84
3671.92
Total Dev Budget of the Ministry :
5278.00
70.67
3729.75
Total Budget of the Ministry :
11935.37
52.99
6324.39
Source: iBAS
7.0
Success in Promoting Women’s Advancement:
Table-7
Indicator
Unit
1
2
1. Rate of female teachers
2. Rate of continuation in the
5th grade
Actual
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
3
4
5
6
7
%
45
45
46
46
50
Boy
%
48.9
52.9
57.1
65.9
77.0
Girl
%
54.9
57.0
62.2
68.6
82.1
7.1
The percent of female teacher has been increased for the last five years.
Whereas the rate of female teacher was 45 percent in 2007-08, the percent
increased to 50in 2011-12. In the FY 2013-14 the projection is 54 percent and
the ministry has increased the projection to 65 percent in FY 2016-17. At the
same time the rate of continuation in the 5th grade for the girls has been
increased gradually for the last five years and the rate is higher than the boys
over the year. The rate of continuation for the girls was 54.9 percent in 200708 and the boys were 48.9percent. The rate became 82.1percent and 77
percent for the girls & boys respectively in year 2011-12.
8.0
Recommendations for Future Activities
•
Along with the stipend programme among the female students it should
be ensured by proper publicity among the parents of female students that
they do not face gender discrimination at home;
•
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 group of the country;
•
Necessary action should be taken to prevent drop-out and increase the
admission of female students in pre-primary education;
38
•
In the pprimary curriculum the women's positive and progressive image
should be highlighted;
•
Emphasis should be given towards the nutritional needs of the female
students;
•
It should be ensured that the female students do not face eve-teasing in
school.
•
“Mobile school” should be initiated in waterlogged and flooded area where
the school is remained closed for 5/6 months each year.