To End Educational Inequality, Every Stream Must Be Considered

Until recently, Towhid Hossain served as Foreign Affairs Adviser to Dr Muhammad Yunus’s interim government.

Earlier, in 2007, he was Foreign Secretary under the military-backed caretaker government headed by Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed.

It would therefore be natural to regard him primarily as an experienced diplomat.

Yet, after reading two of his recent articles, I have begun to see another side of his professional expertise: a serious interest in education, human-resource development and development planning.

One notable feature of his writing is its reliance on facts and figures. Having spent many years working at the highest levels of government, he has had extensive exposure to data and policy information.

His recent writings therefore contain several useful observations on education and development, particularly on inequality in education and the cost of large development projects.

Special Institutions for the Gifted, or Quality Education for All?
At the heart of his recent discussion is a fundamental question: before creating separate high-quality institutions for exceptionally talented students, should the country not first ensure a reasonable minimum standard of education for everyone?

There is considerable merit in raising this question. A proposal to establish two institutions in each parliamentary constituency—600 in total—on the model of cadet colleges was estimated to require Tk 68,442 crore in initial expenditure.

Towhid Hossain has argued that instead of concentrating such a huge amount on a limited number of institutions, greater priority should be given to improving the overall quality of education.

The argument deserves serious consideration. Talent is not the exclusive property of any particular social class or city.

But when a talented child from a poor family lacks access to good teachers, books, technology and an adequate learning environment, examination results alone cannot provide a fair measure of that child’s potential.

A reasonably level playing field is therefore necessary before we attempt to identify and develop talent.

The Crisis in Primary Education
Towhid Hossain has pointed out that more than 15 million children study in roughly 65,000 government primary schools.

Citing government inspection reports, he says that only about 12 per cent of these schools are of good quality, while the remaining 88 per cent face serious shortcomings.

He has also highlighted weaknesses in Bangla, English and mathematics.

If these figures accurately reflect the findings of official inspections, they are deeply concerning. Primary education is the foundation of a child’s subsequent education.

Trying to achieve excellence in higher education while leaving the foundation weak is rather like constructing a multi-storey building on an inadequate base.

Towhid Hossain has rightly stressed teacher recruitment and training, stronger inspection mechanisms and improvement of basic educational standards. These are important recommendations.

Yet there is also a question of accountability. He himself spent many years in important positions within the state, including as secretary and adviser, and therefore had opportunities to influence policy.

It is difficult, consequently, to attribute the failures entirely to the state and society without also acknowledging the responsibility of those who have been involved in policymaking. Former policymakers, too, should have room for self-criticism.

The Urban-Rural Divide
Dhaka and other cities have many private schools where the learning environment is comparatively strong.

Students from some of these institutions have opportunities to compete internationally.

In contrast, many schools in remote areas continue to struggle with teacher shortages, inadequate infrastructure and poor educational quality.

This is not merely an inequality in examination results. It is an inequality of opportunity.

Where a child is born, the economic capacity of the family and the school the child can attend can all influence future opportunities.

The question of educational inequality is therefore ultimately a question of social justice.

Inequality in Secondary Education
Drawing on BANBEIS data, Towhid Hossain has also highlighted disparities in secondary education.

According to the figures he cites, the number of government schools is relatively small compared with the much larger number of private schools.

Most private schools are covered by the MPO system, although a significant number remain outside it.

This raises two related issues: the financial security of teachers and the quality of education.

The inequalities affecting teachers in MPO-listed private secondary schools have also featured in his writing.

Educational inequality, therefore, is not confined to students. It exists among institutions and teachers as well.

But Where Does Madrasa Education Stand?
Here, an important limitation of the recent discussion deserves attention.

It is difficult to present a complete picture of Bangladesh’s education system without considering both Alia and Qawmi madrasas. A large number of students study in these institutions.

Their educational quality, teacher training, science and mathematics education, English-language skills, technological competence and employment-oriented capabilities are all relevant to national human-resource development.

To be fair, Towhid Hossain has discussed the country’s diverse primary-education structure, including government, private, English-medium and madrasa education, in a 2026 research paper. He has also addressed differences among these streams.

Nevertheless, in his recent newspaper discussion of educational inequality and mega projects, the realities of madrasa education could have been addressed more explicitly.

People may have personal preferences regarding religious education. But public policy must be based on social reality rather than personal preference. Students studying in madrasas are citizens of Bangladesh and part of the country’s future human resources.

Improving the quality of their education, connecting them with modern knowledge and skills, and creating appropriate bridges with mainstream education are therefore also matters of public interest.

The Goal of Reform Should Be Equality of Opportunity
Perhaps the greatest need of Bangladesh’s education system is not another new elite institution, but a reduction in the quality gap among existing institutions.
Talented students should certainly have opportunities for excellence.

But before that, a poor child in a remote village should receive an education that gives him or her a fair opportunity to demonstrate potential.

Students in government schools, private schools, English-medium institutions and madrasas should all be regarded as part of the country’s human-resource base.

This is perhaps the most important lesson from Towhid Hossain’s discussion: investment in human resources must receive at least as much strategic attention as investment in physical infrastructure—and, in the long run, it is the foundation on which sustainable development depends.

Bangladesh needs an education system in which a child’s birthplace, family income, type of institution or educational stream does not become the principal determinant of his or her future.

Equality of opportunity must come first; individual achievement can then determine how far each person progresses.

If Bangladesh is serious about ending educational inequality, therefore, reform cannot be confined to one particular stream. The entire education system must be brought within the scope of reform.

(The writer is a Columnist and the Advisory Editor of the New Nation)