ADB signs $12.4 million agreement with Bangladesh to fund education programme

A grant agreement of $12.40 million has been signed in Dhaka today (5 June) between the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance the ongoing "Fourth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP- 4)". 

The grant proceeds from Education Above All (EAA) Foundation, Qatar Fund will be used through ADB to facilitate in achieving an efficient, inclusive and equitable primary education system delivering effective and relevant child-friendly learning to all children from pre-primary through grade 5.

Sharifa Khan, secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on behalf of the GoB and Edimon Ginting, country director of the Bangladesh Resident Mission on behalf of ADB signed the agreement. Senior officials of the government, ADB and concerned agencies were present at the signing ceremony.

The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education is the executing agency of the programme and the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) is the implementing agency and the programme implementation period is 2019-2024.

ADB is one of the largest multilateral Development Partners of Bangladesh extending assistance to the country since it became a member of ADB in 1973. ADB's total loan to Bangladesh till now is approximately $28,074 million and total grant is about $553.4 million.

The development assistance mainly focused on power, energy, local government, transport, education, agriculture, health, water resources, governance and financial sectors of Bangladesh.