In a recent research report unveiled by the Mass Literacy Campaign, startling revelations about the educational landscape of Bangladesh post-pandemic have emerged. Mostafizur Rahman, a prominent figure at the release event, shed light on the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country's schooling system.
According to Rahman, the cost of education has seen a significant surge, particularly in urban areas. In 2022, the average annual expenditure for a primary school student was reported to be 13,882 taka, which escalated to 18,132 taka in urban regions. Similarly, the household expenses for secondary level education skyrocketed from 27,340 taka to 35,662 taka in urban areas within the same period.
A staggering percentage of students, both at primary and secondary levels, resorted to private tutoring and guidebooks due to the inadequacies in classroom teaching, with dependency rates reaching as high as 92% and 93% respectively. Furthermore, the pandemic-induced shift to blended learning methods left a majority of teachers ill-equipped to adapt.
Alarmingly, dropout rates surged in 2023, with 4.5% of second graders and 6% of sixth graders abandoning their education due to various pandemic-related factors. Reasons cited include financial strain on low-income families, prolonged school closures, and lack of guidance from institutions.
Even more concerning is the disinterest among dropouts to return to school, with 57% of primary level and 79% of secondary level students expressing no intention of rejoining. Many have turned to child labor, with 41% of primary and 49% of secondary dropouts engaging in work activities.
Moreover, a migration trend to madrasas has been observed, with 6.4% of primary level students shifting to religious schools. Parents cited religious education and proximity to home as primary reasons for this transition, especially during the pandemic when mainstream schools remained closed.
The report paints a grim picture of the challenges plaguing Bangladesh's education sector, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable recovery strategies to ensure equitable access to quality education for all students.