The coronavirus crisis calls for a concerted global action to ensure a safe and secure environment for students, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.
She was addressing a high-level virtual event organised by Qatar-based Education Above All Foundation to mark the International Day to Protect Education from Attack on Wednesday.
“On this auspicious occasion, let us commit to revamp international cooperation to protect education in every situation. Our concerted efforts would surely lead us to the future we want,” she said.
Education is one of the important sectors deeply affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It has caused widespread closure of educational institutions across the world.
“The COVID-19 crisis has shown the weakness of the existing education system,” Hasina said.
Hasina mentioned the steps taken by her government, including televised and online classes, for the students during the pandemic.
“Monetary support for the students is continuing. Special measures have been taken so that students are engaged in studies,” she said.
She also described how Bangladesh has “heavily” invested in education.
The government has been distributing textbooks among students up to secondary level since 2010.
Over 353 million free textbooks were distributed among the students on the first day of 2020, the prime minister said.
The government is giving stipends to more than 20.3 million students up to higher education level, according to her.
Girls’ education up to higher secondary level has been made free while over 26,000 primary schools and 685 high schools have been nationalised.
The government is also supporting more than 4,000 educational institutions through the Monthly Payment Order scheme.
“All these measures along with other interventions like gender-sensitive approach, school feeding programme, establishment of primary schools at almost every village and ward, and ICT education have been showing tangible benefits,” Hasina said.
Net enrolment rate in Bangladesh rose to 97.74 percent in 2019 while literacy rate increased to 74 percent.