The expenditure per student in primary schools in the country is about Tk 14,000 per year. And it is over Tk 27,000 in secondary schools.
This information was revealed in a report titled 'School Education in Bangladesh: Post-pandemic Recovery Challenges’ published on Saturday.
Researchers in the report stated that although expenses have increased after the introduction of the new curriculum, there is no accurate account of it.
Campaign for Popular Education, a coalition of NGOs focusing education, published the report at an event at CIRDAP Auditorium in Dhaka.
CAMPE executive director and Education Watch secretary Rasheda K Choudhury moderated the session Dr Kazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, chairperson of Education Watch, in the chair.
According to the report, the average expenditure per student in primary schools in the country is Tk 13,882 per year.
However, the expenses are lower in rural areas compared to urban areas. In rural areas, the average expenditure per year is Tk 10,637, and in urban areas, it is Tk 18,132.
In the first six months of last year, this expenditure increased by at least Tk 8,647 or 25 per cent.
On the other hand, in secondary schools, the average expenditure per student per year is Tk 27,340. Among them, Tk 22,909 is spent in rural areas and a maximum of Tk 35,662 in city corporation areas.
In the first six months of last year, this expenditure increased by at least Tk 20,712 or 51 per cent. Comparative calculations were made from January to December 2022 and from January to June of 2023.
The report further states that a large portion of this expenditure goes to private tuition or coaching centers. In addition to this, other expenses include guidebooks, auxiliary materials, transportation, food, educational materials (books, notebooks, and pens), various fees at school, and extracurricular activities.
Dr Manzur Ahmad, the lead researcher of the report, said that after 2022, about 4.5 per cent of primary and 6 per cent of secondary students are out of school.
He claimed the government's calculation of dropout rates is largely excessive. There is concern because there is hardly any reason for so many dropouts in Class II.
Regarding expenses, he said that expenses have increased due to various reasons including commodity price increases.
Expenses have increased by 25 per cent in primary and 51 per cent in secondary schools.
Expenses are higher in coaching, private tuition, and guidebooks.
Manzur remarked that the impact of the new curriculum has yet to be fully realised, although it may influence expenses to some extent, no significant changes have been observed thus far.
