Education is widely and popularly known as the backbone of a nation. To make this backbone sustainable, some issues need urgent government attention. Among them, budgetary allocation for education is the most vital. Unfortunately, budgetary allocation for our education sector is still inadequate.
The UNESCO-declaration states that the allocation for education should be at least 20 percent of the national budget and six percent of the GDP (gross domestic product). Although the education sector gets a significant share of the government budget compared to other sectors, it is still lower Asian countries. The ratio of our education budget to GDP has been hovering around two percent for the last few years whereas, Malaysia, The Maldives, Sri Lanka allocate 6.2, 8 and 6.2 percent of their GDP respectively for their education sector. From this picture we can say that our budgetary allocation is frustrating.
To the very back, investment in education is crucial in attaining all round development of a country. If we want to change our future, priorities should be given on human development and we have to achieve the goals,set in the national Education Policy. The budgetary allocation for education sector must be enhanced. Otherwise, our dream of achieving the status of Sustainable Developed Bangladesh will not be fulfilled. Bangladesh is fully committed to implementing the SDGS (Sustainable Development Goals) and the key elements and measures for sustainable development education. To achieve the SDGS it has been made mandatory to allocate at least 4 percent of GDP on education. But with our existing allocation, it is not possible to get quality education. We are dreaming of becoming a country, belonging to a range of income for developed countries by 2041. And for that to happen, we have to ensure quality teachers and all the infrastructural facilities in terms of the number of schools, colleges, classrooms and libraries. In this content, I would like to mention that, in the developed countries the whole education system that is primary, and tertiary is government-funded. So, I hope, the policy makers will take these issues into urgent consideration so that education sector can receive more than current allocation.