If a recent surge in school dropouts in Bangladesh’s primary education is worrisome, more troubling features lie beneath the surface. There appear to be deep poverty pockets -- with alarmingly high dropout rates -- that distort the national average.
While Bangladesh made significant improvements in reducing dropout rates over the last decade -- falling from 39.8% in 2010 to 13.15% in 2023 -- a recent government assessment revealed a reversal in 2024. After 13 years of decline, the dropout rate surged again. Bangladesh’s primary school dropout rate now stands at 16.25%.
More worrying still are the unacceptably high rates of primary school dropouts in some districts, which warrant urgent policy interventions. While the national average rose to over 16%, in the northeastern district of Netrokona it is over 44%. That means nearly half of primary school students in Netrokona never reach the secondary level of education.
From the latest government report, at least nine other districts can be identified where almost a third of students leave school without completing the primary level. Dropout rates are as high as 38.71% in Nilphamari, 36% in Mymensingh, 35% in Gaibandha and Sherpur, 34.24% in Sunamganj, and around 32% in Patuakhali, Jamalpur, Kurigram, and Lalmonirhat.
It should be noted that the entire Mymensingh division is in dire straits as far as school dropouts are concerned. In each of its four districts -- Netrokona, Mymensingh, Sherpur, and Jamalpur -- large numbers of students are leaving school early, with dropout percentages ranging from 32 to 44. A neighbouring district in Sylhet division, Sunamganj, also shows a high dropout trend, while there are high dropout concentrations in several northwestern districts -- Nilphamari, Gaibandha, Kurigram, and Lalmonirhat -- as well as in one southern district, Patuakhali.
National poverty data could help explain such high dropout rates, particularly in the 10 districts mentioned above. While Bangladesh has managed to expand its secondary and tertiary education -- through public and private initiatives and investments -- it remains something of a puzzle why so many young children have their education cut short at such tender ages.
Bangladesh’s earlier progress in primary education was achieved largely through measures such as free textbook distribution, expanded stipend coverage, and mid-day meals. By 2020, the dropout rate had fallen to 17.02% from 39.8% in 2010, and further dropped to 13.15% in 2023, a remarkable improvement. But it rose again to 16.25% last year.
One key reason for declining enrollment and increasing dropouts may be widespread poverty, which forces many children to support their families through labour instead of attending school. In low-income households, the immediate need for income often outweighs the long-term value of education, leading parents to keep children at home or send them to work. As a result, many school-aged children remain out of school, contributing to reduced enrollment and higher dropout rates. Addressing this requires targeted support for poor families to reduce the economic barriers to education.
A recent survey by PPRC, a research centre, found that poverty in Bangladesh has significantly increased, with nearly 28% of the population living below the poverty line, up from 18.7% in 2022, and extreme poverty rising to 9.35% from 5.6%. The study highlights mounting economic pressures, particularly high inflation and job scarcity, with 55% of household expenditure now going to food. PPRC’s research points to emerging vulnerabilities such as chronic illness and debt, which require urgent action.
It is nationally evident that poverty may be the driving force behind families making hard choices between keeping children in school and sending them to work. The government and its relevant departments need to pay urgent and serious attention to the 10 districts showing high dropout trends in primary education.
The government’s own assessment finds that the closure of school feeding programs has led to declining enrollment among poor students in government primary schools. For many low-income families, the promise of a free daily meal was a key incentive to send children to school. Without this support, parents facing food insecurity are less likely to enroll or keep their children in school, especially in rural and marginalized areas.
In many cases, children are instead sent to work to help their families meet basic needs. Repeated changes to school feeding programs in recent years have weakened their impact. A full reintroduction of school feeding could be a game-changer for boosting enrollment and supporting vulnerable children.
Another key feature that emerged from the government assessment is the gender dimension of dropouts. The study shows that boys dropped out of school in greater numbers than girls. For boys, the dropout rate is over 19% -- nearly six points higher than for girls. This suggests that parents in abject poverty tend to send boys rather than girls to work in order to support family livelihoods.
High inflationary pressures and rising living costs in 2024 may also have eroded the real value of stipends, pushing families to prioritize short-term survival over continued schooling. Researchers have also shown that seasonal migration, household shocks, and climate vulnerabilities push disadvantaged families to withdraw children from school.
If Bangladesh wants to curb the surge in dropouts, it needs to invest in primary education. Nearly half of state-run primary schools are operating without head teachers, and many are housed in congested and unhealthy compounds. The prevalence of double-shift schools (79.4%) further limits classroom time and academic performance, making students more vulnerable to dropping out.
Reaz Ahmad is Editor, Dhaka Tribune.