Mahfuza Jasmine

DHAKA, June 30, 2022 (BSS) – As education is one of the fundamental elements for expediting women empowerment and their dignity, the government has put emphasis on women development in education assistance sector under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s priority project Ten Special Initiatives.         

Gender-based budgetary allocation has also been increased in education sector for fiscal year 2022-2023 (FY23) as the government enhanced allocation for Primary and Mass Education Ministry and Secondary and Higher Education Division by 60.21 percent and 44.73 percent respectively.  

According to the budgetary allocation for thematic area titled “Women Empowerment and Social Dignity Enhancement” of gender budget report of FY23     

Bangladesh made remarkable progress in human development indices in the last two decades. An important aspect of human development index is creating skilled human resources and primary education, which is considered as base of all level of learning, is the stair for skill development. Education brings positive change to develop individual’s efficiency and conscience to help him or her contribute to the country’s overall development through works.

In his speech after placing the national budget in Parliament on June 9 last, Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said National Women Development Policy, 2011 has been formulated on the basis of the country’s Constitution.

Actually, the policy was formulated in light with national and international policy and action plans for women development, he said. 
National Plan of Action 2013 has been formulated for the implementation of the policy, Kamal said.

 The finance minister said the Primary and Mass Education Ministry has taken some initiatives to build women as skilled human resources as per the policy and action plan.

The initiatives would play an important role to increase enrollment rate of femal students in primary education and reduce dropout rate.

The initiatives are prevention of all types of discriminatory approaches towards girl child and ensuring gender equity in all spheres including family, ensuring regular presence of girl children at educational institutions, ensuring of necessary measures as girl children cannot be victims of any kinds of sexual harassment, pornography, physical and mental torture at different arenas including educational institutions, ensuring different facilities including safe and quality modes of recreation, sports and cultural practice for girl child, reducing discriminatory approaches towards disabled girl child.

Ensuring safety at all spheres, enhancing women education, reducing discrimination between male and female in education rate and scopes, presenting women’s positive image in curriculum and textbooks, imparting training and lessons on nutrition to women, taking measures as small ethnic groups can flourish keeping intact their own heritage and culture, considering for managing special education for only those who cannot engage themselves mainstream education due to unavoidable reasons, ensuring active participation of disabled women in all spheres of life including education and putting emphasis on difference of disability in education.

Apart from Primary and Mass Education, women education was given importance in secondary and higher education division too. Highest importance was given to make the people irrespective of men and women ranging to specific age as skilled manpower through education and training.

It is stated in the Perspective Plan 2041 that it is possible to make overall development of education through coordination of government and private sectors. Bangladesh has already attained some big successes in education sector. 

Enrollment rate at secondary level is now 61.27 percent while male and female student ratio at the level is 45.2: 54.8

For the expansion of education, the government has been making infrastructural development in educational institutions, providing financial assistances including stipends and scholarships to students and teachers and implementing other multifaceted programme in flourishing of merits.

Budget analysis of 2022-23 showed, the government kept continued providing allocation of required money in this division for the overall development of standard of education.

This division got budgetary allocation of 1.03 percent of the total GDP in FY 2021-22 while it increased to 5.66 percent in the FY 2022-23.

As per the articles 15 and 17 of the constitution, Secondary and Higher Education Division formulates education management and policy and action plans from post-primary education period to higher education level in compliance of state pledges of providing education to its people as fundamental rights.

National Women Development Policy, 2011 is being followed as an action plan for women education in the Secondary and Higher Education Divisicn.

The division follows Education Policy 2010 with a view to enhancing women education, reducing discrimination between male and female in education rate and opportunities, engaging women in mainstream of development.    

All-out efforts to remove illiteracy of women especially highest importance should be given to provide education and training to girl child and womenfolk in all branches including technical, science and technology.

Efficiency of women and development of education standard covered a large portion of “Education Assistance Programme” among the Ten Special Initiatives of Sheikh Hasina in the budgetary allocation of FY 2022-23. It will play an effective role to ensure women empowerment true sense of the term.