The recent signing of a series of agreements between Japan and Bangladesh of around $5 million, for the fourth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP), is a sign of good things to come.
The PEDP has proven to be a major success aimed at improving the quality of primary education in our nation, developing textbooks and teaching materials, strengthening policies, improving school management, and boosting teacher training.
This latest agreement seeks to add to previous achievements by continuing to improve quality of education, but also focuses on academic achievement, equitable access and participation, and enhancing management, governance, and financing.
The education sector remains one of the most important aspects of a nation’s development, paving the path for sustainability and progress, and contributing to continuous social and economic growth.
However, we have not always prioritized it the way we should have: The latest budget for FY2020-21 did not see much of an increase from the previous year’s, indicating a lack of understanding of the importance of education when it comes to our nation’s future -- it is the youth of the country will be the ones on whose shoulders our nation will find progress and development.
Our education sector, from primary to tertiary, has faced repeated issues -- corruption, poor teaching materials and teacher training, and an overall lack of resources being the main culprits towards its low quality.
That must change, and this latest agreement can pave the way for a better understanding of the importance of education, and push us towards prioritizing it through increased resources and funding which will see our youth receive the quality of education they truly deserve.
