URBAN government primary schools have become largely deserted as city dwellers have little interest in enrolling their kids to the facilities due to poor education standard in comparison to English-medium, kindergarten and private schools. Recent data of Directorate of Primary Education census revealed that the urban dwellers commanding greater earnings showed little interest in enrolling their offspring in government primary schools. In contrast to the private schools, the government primary schools are soiled, poor infrastructure and decoration, unattractive pale coloured wall, and poor class standard.
Not only that, the government primary schools are largely deficient of hygienic toilet, and subject to air and sound pollution. In many schools of the capital city lacked enough space that compelled the school authorities to arrange classes of different grade in same room. Even teachers said they used toilets at nearby schools or residential buildings in case of emergency. Except hardcore poor living in the city, no one enroll in these types of schools.
Of the 342 government primary schools in the capital city, only 109 are located in Dhaka North City Corporation area while there is no government primary school in Uttara, Bashundhara, Baridhara, Banani, Adabar and many other newly developed areas. The 342 schools run double shifts compromising the teacher-student contact hours and satisfied with their pass rate in primary school termination exams. Most of the country’s 65,626 government primary schools are located in rural or upazila level where English medium schools have no promise.
The rich and middle class people think to invest in the primary education to strengthen the base of kids’ education level for increasing their competence, while ultra poor people are unable but send their offspring to the government facilities. It is the duty of the state to ensure quality primary education for all. The government sheds more focus on the number of primary school enrolment not the quality, resulting in poor education with creating new social classes. Quality primary education is the prerequisite of future development, where the government has no investment.
