The current enrollment rate of students in primary education has increased to 97.74 percent while the dropout rate reduced to 17.90 percent as various initiatives taken by the government.

Despite unprecedented progress in primary education, about 2.26 percent children are still out of school due to poverty, child labour and geographical barriers, according to Primary and Mass Education Ministry.

Besides, the literacy rate of the country has increased to 74.7 percent at the moment as a result of various efforts by the government.

According to ministry sources, the government took various initiatives including distribution of free textbooks, provision of stipends, mid-day meal, development of school infrastructure, recruitment of adequate teachers and so on in order to prevent dropouts and ensure quality education.

Meanwhile, like other countries in the world, Bangladesh on Tuesday observed the International Literacy Day-2020 through different programmers following hygiene rules.

“On the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, activities are underway to impart literacy to 21 lakh illiterate men and women,” said State Minister for Primary and Mass Education MdZakir Hossain.

He came up with the assertion while addressing a programmeas the chief guest on the occasion of the International Literacy Day 2020 at the Bureau of Non-Formal Education atMohakhali in the city.

Senior Secretary of the ministry Akram-al-Hossain, Director General of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education Tapan Kumar Ghosh and senior officials of the ministry were present at the programme.

The state minister also said, “The current enrollment rate in primary education has increased to 97.74 percent and dropout rate reduced to 17.90 percent. The Bureau of Non-Formal Education is implementing ‘Basic Literacy Project’ to provide literacy to illiterate men and women aged 15 and above with the aim of eradicating illiteracy from the country.”

He said, “The literacy rate has increased compared to the past years. In 2005, during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government, it was only 53.5 percent.”

He also said, “The Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the architect of Independent Bangladesh, implemented the recommendations of the Qudrat-i-Khuda Education Commission in 1973 with the aim of modernizing primary education.”

“The progress of the country was stopped by the assassination of Bangabandhu on 15th August, 1975. Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina came to power and radically changed the education system of the country,” he continued.

He  further said, “In order to make primary education more dynamic, in 2013, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina nationalized 26,193 registered and community private primary schools and conferred second class status to the post of headmaster. This is another landmark step in the advancement of primary education.”

Under the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, the government has given the light of literacy to about 1.8 crore illiterate people from 1996 to 2001 through various programmes.

Meanwhile, the government has been implementing the 7th Five Year Plan (2016-2020) and has taken all-out measures to achieve the international commitment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There is a comprehensive plan for the non-formal education sub-sector in the 7th Five Year Plan to promote literacy, skills development training and create lifelong learning opportunities, which is the fourth goal of SDGs.

Moreover, the government established Non-Formal Education Board according to Non-Formal Education Act 2014. Through the Board, registration of all government and non-government organizations involved in non-formal education across the country, assessment of teachers' qualifications and skills, registration of students, preparation of question papers, taking exams and issuing certificates will be provided.