State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj today spoke at a press briefing at the Grand Khulna hotel in the city. Photo: BSS

KHULNA, Sept 3, 2026 (BSS) - State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj today said the government will introduce a nourishing feeding programme for 1.10 crore students in all 66,000 government primary schools across the country from next year.

The government will also expand its existing initiatives to provide shoes and school bags to primary school students, he said.

The state minister made the remarks at a press briefing at The Grand Khulna hotel in the city this noon.

"Currently, the nourishing feeding programme is being implemented in some primary schools, including 167 schools in Paikgachha upazila of Khulna," he said.

Responding to allegations about the supply and quality of food at some primary schools, Bobby Hajjaj said he had instructed the authorities to conduct laboratory tests if any supplied food was found rotten and take punitive action against the suppliers concerned.

He said the government is working to appoint 14,500 primary school teachers by December 2026, adding that recruitment against all vacant teacher posts would be completed within the next one to one-and-a-half years.

The state minister said the quality of primary education had declined in previous years, but the present government is working to improve it.

He said punitive action would be taken against some private schools allegedly involved in spreading false campaigns against the government's primary education initiatives.

"The existing primary education system will be revamped to turn all schools into effective and quality educational institutions," he said.

The government will also bring government and private primary schools and kindergartens under its monitoring system in the days ahead, he added.

"Health and education are being given the highest priority among government services," Bobby Hajjaj said.

He said the initiatives aim to improve the quality of primary education, ensure a congenial learning environment and provide quality education to students.

Replying to a question, Bobby Hajjaj said students, teachers and employees were suffering due to faulty designs of some government primary school buildings constructed during the previous government.

Earlier, the state minister exchanged views with primary school teachers at an orientation and view-exchange meeting in Khulna on the development of primary education under the "Government Primary School Feeding Programme."

During the session, Hajjaj discussed various issues related to primary education, including basic standards for different classes, rules and procedures for school inspections, teacher training, caution in speaking to the media and ways to improve the overall primary education system.

Additional Divisional Commissioner Sifat Mehnaz presided over the programme.

Administrator of Khulna City Corporation Nazrul Islam Manju, Joint Secretary (Development) Md Motiar Rahman, Joint Secretary and Project Director of the Primary School Feeding Programme Md Abul Amin, and Director (Stipend) Md Masud Hossain attended the programme as special guests.

Deputy Director of Primary Education in Khulna Division Dr Md Shafiqul Islam delivered the welcome address.

District primary education officers, additional district primary education officers, PTI superintendents, assistant superintendents and officials from different levels of the primary education sector in Khulna participated in the event.