FY26: Govt pledges quality education, but plans to keep allocation below 1.6% of GDP
The proposed budget remains 1.53% of GDP, below the 4-6% suggested by the Education 2030 Framework for Action recommended by the Unesco
The finance ministry has proposed keeping the allocation for the education sector below 1.6% of the GDP in the upcoming fiscal year 2025-26 (FY26), all the while pledging to ensure quality education.
According to the budget speech of the Finance Adviser Salehuddin Ahmed, the government plans to allocate Tk95,644 crore to the education section, a substantial 13.44% increase from the Tk84,311 crore allocated in the revised budget for FY25.
However, the proposed budget remains 1.53% of GDP, below the 4-6% suggested by the Education 2030 Framework for Action recommended by the Unesco. The revised budget for education in FY25 was 1.52% of GDP.
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"There is no alternative to science, technology or technical education to build a strong economic structure. This year's budget has given special priority to creating the environment for a science-based, technology-driven and employment-oriented education," the adviser said while presenting the budget for FY26 via a pre-recorded telecast today (2 June).
The education budget has consistently remained below 2% of GDP for the past two decades.
For primary and mass education, the finance adviser proposed to allocate Tk35,403 crore for this sector in the FY26. This is a reduction from the Tk38,819 crore allocated in the current fiscal year's original budget, although it is slightly higher than the Tk35,123 crore in the revised budget.
For secondary and higher education, he proposed to allocate a total of Tk47,563 crore in FY26, which is Tk44,109 crore in FY25. However, the revised FY25 budget for the sector had decreased to Tk39,233 crore.
For the Technical and Madrasah Education Division, the adviser proposed to allocate Tk12,678 crore in FY26, which is Tk11,783 crore in FY25.
Speaking to The Business Standard earlier, an official from the Finance Division attributed the increase to a growing enrolment rate in madrasahs compared to primary schools in recent years.
Government data shows that in FY23, there were 2,05,46,091 students at the primary level nationwide, including pre-primary. In comparison, the number of madrasah students in FY24 was 62,16,111.
