The National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE), in collaboration with Save the Children in Bangladesh, is working to integrate traditional and indigenous games into primary classroom learning to make education more engaging, inclusive and child-centred.
A national review workshop on the “Learning Through Play” initiative, known as “Khelay Khelay Shikhi”, was held in Dhaka on Tuesday, bringing together policymakers, education specialists, curriculum experts and development partners.
The workshop reviewed a resource book featuring traditional games collected from different parts of the country and examined how they can be linked with primary curriculum competencies to strengthen children’s foundational literacy and numeracy, as well as critical thinking and social-emotional skills.
Dr A N M Ehsanul Hoque Milan, Minister for Primary and Mass Education, attended the event as chief guest, while State Minister Bobby Hajjaj, State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque, Prime Minister’s Office Adviser Mahdi Amin, Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Jesmin Nahar, Directorate of Primary Education Director General Shahina Ferdousi and Save the Children Bangladesh Country Director Suman Sengupta were present as special guests.
NAPE Director General Farid Ahmed chaired the session and delivered the welcome address.
Speaking at the event, Minister Ehsanul Hoque Milan said play should be incorporated into learning from an early age, recalling how games helped him develop social connections and leadership skills during childhood.
“Sports and play are integral to loving learning,” he said, adding that children could learn concepts such as counting, time and numerical skills through simple games and everyday objects.
He also stressed the need to restore playgrounds and other spaces where children can play and learn.
State Minister Bobby Hajjaj said the initiative had drawn on research covering 412 play-based learning initiatives and around 700 local-level games.
He said critical thinking and problem-solving skills should also be embedded in teacher training so educators can effectively implement learning through play in classrooms.
“We want to see practical learning through play in classrooms,” he said, calling for cooperation among government agencies, NGOs and development partners to make the approach effective.
State Minister for Youth and Sports Md Aminul Haque said combining sports and education could contribute to children’s mental and physical well-being.
He stressed the importance of introducing play-based learning from Class I and said efforts should be made to restore opportunities for children to play in villages and remote areas across the country.
DPE Director General Shahina Ferdousi said the initiative had focused on Bangladesh’s local context to ensure that learning activities remained relevant to children in different parts of the country.
She said integrating games into lessons could help children become more enthusiastic about attending school while strengthening their foundational learning.
Save the Children Country Director Suman Sengupta said skills such as social and emotional intelligence, critical thinking and problem-solving were essential for children’s development.
“We don’t need to look outside Bangladesh, as these games are present in our country,” he said, urging stakeholders to critically assess the approach and identify what works best for children.
The development of the “Khelay Khelay Shikhi” resource book followed consultations with primary teachers, academics, visual artists and children to identify and validate games from different regions.
During the workshop, participants examined how the games had been mapped against primary curriculum competencies to ensure that classroom activities remained culturally relevant and pedagogically appropriate.
The teacher-friendly resource book provides guidance on classroom facilitation, low-cost materials, safety considerations and reflective questions. It is designed to support children regardless of gender, background or ability.
Participants also took part in group discussions and presentations, providing technical feedback on the draft resource book.
The feedback will be used to finalise the publication and inform implementation research, teacher orientation and the possible integration of play-based learning into nationwide teacher professional development programmes.
NAPE Director General Farid Ahmed said NAPE was working to make education more enjoyable and engaging while ensuring that children continue to learn effectively.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks by A S M Rahmatullah Bhuiyan, Deputy Country Director of Save the Children in Bangladesh.
