Education budget hits Tk1.23 lakh crore amid reform push
Educationists welcome boost, warn implementation is key
Education has emerged as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the current BNP government's maiden budget, receiving a record Tk1,23,606 crore allocation for FY2026-27 aimed at building a skills-driven, technology-enabled education system.
The proposed allocation raises education's share of the national budget to 13.1% and increases public spending on the sector from 1.53% of GDP in FY2025-26 to 1.83% in FY2026-27.
Between FY2020-21 and FY2025-26, education spending accounted for roughly 11.8-12.5% of the national budget, while its share of GDP declined from 2.09% in FY2021-22 to a low of 1.53% in FY2025-26.
The increase shows the government's focus on improving education quality, building skills, and strengthening human capital. It also responds to long-standing criticism that education spending was too low and focused more on infrastructure and administration than learning outcomes.
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Free undergraduate education for female students
Additionally, the government has proposed a broad reform agenda that includes the gradual introduction of technical education from Grade 6, mandatory third-language instruction alongside Bangla and English, expansion of free undergraduate education for female students, and the "One Teacher, One Tab" digital learning programme.
Quality education requires sustained investment in curriculum reform, textbooks, teacher development, sports, culture, technology, and effective planning and monitoring systems—not just infrastructure.
In his budget speech today, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury said the reforms would also include AI-enabled learning initiatives, multimedia classrooms, expanded free Wi-Fi access, nationwide mid-day meals, and greater emphasis on sports, culture and co-curricular activities.
Prioritises industry-academia collaboration
The reform package further prioritises stronger industry-academia collaboration, internships, entrepreneurship support, and increased investment in research and innovation.
Finance Division documents show that the three core education ministries and divisions—Primary and Mass Education, Secondary and Higher Education, and Technical and Madrasah Education—will receive more than Tk1 lakh crore combined.
Of that, Secondary and Higher Education has been allocated Tk50,302 crore, while Primary and Mass Education will receive Tk42,145 crore.
The allocation comes after years of stagnant education financing. Bangladesh has consistently fallen short of Unesco's recommended spending target of 4-6% of GDP.
Experts welcome boost, warn implementation is key
Education experts have broadly welcomed the record allocation but cautioned that higher spending alone will not resolve longstanding learning challenges.
Rasheda K Chowdhury, former adviser to a caretaker government and education advocate, described the increase as a positive signal but stressed that effective implementation would determine its impact.
"An increase of this size is a positive development and reflects a commitment to raising investment in education," she said. However, she noted that improving educational quality requires investment not only in infrastructure but also in curriculum reform, textbooks, teacher development, sports, culture, technology, and robust planning and monitoring systems.
Professor Emeritus Dr Manzoor Ahmed of BRAC University echoed the view, calling the budget a strong indication that education has become a national priority. He warned, however, that weak planning and implementation have historically prevented large allocations from achieving expected outcomes.
"Since the allocation is larger this time, proper planning must begin from the very start of the fiscal year," he said, emphasising accountability, effective monitoring and safeguards against corruption.
Tk12,678cr for technical edu despite skills-based agenda
Despite the government's emphasis on building a skills-based economy, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been allocated Tk12,678 crore, equivalent to 9.2% of the total education budget. Experts say the relatively modest allocation raises questions about whether funding levels match ambitions to expand technical education and meet labour market demands.
They also pointed to persistent implementation bottlenecks—including delayed project approvals, procurement inefficiencies, block allocations and weak monitoring—that frequently lead to underutilised funds and mid-year budget revisions.
Experts argue that stronger governance, transparent procurement and independent oversight will be critical to ensuring effective use of public resources.
Although the proposed allocation pushes education spending closer to 2% of GDP, Bangladesh remains well below Unesco's 4-6% benchmark and lags several regional peers.
