Educationists on Thursday expressed dissatisfaction at the allocation of Tk 29,213 crore only in the education sector for the fiscal year 2014-15, calling it insufficient.
“The government wants to make Bangladesh digital state. But it allocated Tk 29,213 crore only in the education sector. The allocated money is more than that of the last year but it is not sufficient,” they said.
The educationists said this after presentation of the budget in the parliament Thursday.
They have demanded increase of allocation budget in the education sector to ensure quality education and education for all.
Professor Abul Quasem Fazlul Haque of Bengali Department of Dhaka University told The New Nation there are many educational institutions in the country. Tk 29,213 crore is not enough in the sector to run the education smoothly.
Professor Syed Anwar Hossain of History Department of Dhaka University said, it is unprecedented that the government is reluctant to allocate adequate money in the education sector. It will be very difficult to ensure quality education this year.
“We always demand higher allocation in education sector. But unfortunately each and every government ignore our demand. They allocate money for the sector as per their own wish,” he said.
Professor Nazrul Islam, former Chairman of University Grants Commission told The New Nation, the number of educational institutions and students is increasing day by day. But the allocation of money in the education sector is not increasing.
“We are not satisfied with this year’s budget allocation in the education sector. It will be difficult to ensure quality of education. Finance Minister said in the parliament that the government would introduce digital system in honours courses from this year. But how would they introduce it? They should allocate more money to make the education sector digitalized,” Nazrul Islam said.
It may be mentioned that Finance Minister AMA Muhith in his budget speech on Thursday proposed an allocation of Tk 29,213 crore for the education sector for the fiscal year 2014-15.
Of the allocation, an amount of Tk 13,673 has been reserved for the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and Tk 15,540 crore for the Ministry of Education.
In his budget speech, the Finance Minister said “Madrasah education will be modernised to make them amenable to the mainstream education. In these institutions, courses on IT will be introduced including Honours courses.”
