The government is planning to introduce a new policy to ensure the safety of infrastructure and facilities at around 150,000 primary schools across the country, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks while addressing the Safeguarding Leadership Summit 2026, jointly organized by Haileybury Bhaluka and Cambridge University Press and Assessment at the Sky Ballroom of Le Méridien Dhaka.
Hajjaj said the proposed policy would cover various issues related to students’ safety and wellbeing, including dengue prevention, infrastructure renovation, access to safe drinking water and proper WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities.
He also said life-saving skills would be incorporated into the primary curriculum through monthly themes.
“Going forward, life-saving skills such as fire safety, traffic rules and water hazards will be incorporated into the curriculum as monthly themes. Students will not only learn these things from books but also gain practical experience by visiting places such as fire stations,” he said.
The state minister said around 800,000 to one million teachers would need training to effectively implement the initiatives.
He called on Cambridge and other international organizations to work with the government as partners beyond commercial interests.
He also stressed the role of parent-teacher associations and local communities in ensuring children’s safety.
The summit, themed “Stronger Together, Safer Tomorrow – Keeping Children Safe in Bangladesh,” brought together school leaders, teachers, educators, policymakers and safeguarding professionals to discuss child protection and safer learning environments.
Speaking at the event, Simon O’Grady, founding headmaster of Haileybury Bhaluka, said safeguarding should be treated as part of an institution’s culture rather than merely a checklist or policy.
“Safeguarding is not a checklist or a policy on paper, it is an institutional culture. A good school leader must be visible, curious, courageous and consistent,” he said.
He added that safety was a prerequisite for creativity and that children should be able to speak about their concerns without fear.
“A child feels safe when they can speak without fear and have the courage to report an incident to the authorities,” O’Grady said.
Sarwat Reza, country lead at Cambridge University Press & Assessment, also attended the summit, along with education leaders and safeguarding experts from different parts of the country.
Speakers also stressed that child safeguarding cannot be limited to a single policy or designated individual. They called for stronger leadership, accountability, professional training and greater involvement of the wider school community to create safer and more inclusive learning environments.