School in Bangladesh

Pre-primary education is usually called pre-primary education (প্রাক-প্রাথমিক) in Bangladesh and typically lasts one year. Children usually start primary school at about six years of age; it covers grades 1 to 5. This is followed by grades 6 to 8 as lower secondary education, grades 9 and 10 as secondary education leading to the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) or an equivalent qualification, and grades 11 and 12 as upper secondary education leading to the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or an equivalent qualification. Age requirements, admission conditions and transitions may vary by institution and programme. The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education are responsible for pre-primary education and primary school. For secondary and higher secondary education, the Ministry of Education, the Secondary and Higher Education Division and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education work together; the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) develops curricula and textbooks. Primary education includes general schools and the religious-school pathway (Madrasa). At secondary level, there are general, technical and vocational, and Madrasa pathways. In the Madrasa system, the primary Madrasa level (ইবতেদায়ী) covers grades 1 to 5, the lower-secondary Madrasa level (দাখিল) covers grades 6 to 10, and the upper-secondary Madrasa level (আলিম) covers grades 11 and 12; additional religious subjects are also taught. Private English-medium schools often use O-Level and A-Level, whose recognition or equivalence depends on the institution and the relevant examination board. Admission to primary schools usually takes place through a local school and depends on available places. Age and document requirements depend on the school and programme. Selected government and non-government schools in metropolitan areas and in district and subdistrict (Upazila) centres use a digital lottery for grades 1 to 9. Outside this centralised process, local notices and admission procedures apply. An application therefore does not automatically guarantee a place. Government primary schools are generally free of tuition, and NCTB textbooks are intended to be provided free of charge in the covered pre-primary, primary and secondary-school streams. Families nevertheless often pay for stationery, uniforms, transport, food, examinations or private tutoring. Kindergartens, English-medium schools, private schools and many Madrasa schools charge fees. The primary-school stipend follows the applicable DPE requirements for 2026; eligibility, amount and attendance conditions are programme-specific. School meals, programmes for adolescents and girls, and NGO programmes to help children catch up after missed schooling reach different groups depending on the location and programme. Curricula, textbooks and examinations change through current government notices. The 2021 and 2022 primary curricula were revised in 2025; current guidance on textbooks and teacher guides applies for 2026. The subject structure and SSC curriculum at secondary level also depend on the applicable notices. Calendars, shifts, attendance, school uniforms, sanitation, transport and private tutoring differ between institutions. Floods, cyclones and heatwaves led to school closures of up to two weeks in some areas in 2024; in the Sylhet area, interruptions totalled up to eight weeks. Under Article 17 of the Constitution, the state is required to provide universal, free and compulsory education up to the level prescribed by law. The Primary Education (Compulsory) Act of 1990 provides a central legal basis. Article 28(3) protects access from discrimination on the grounds stated there. The Children Act of 2013 establishes additional protection duties. Physical and psychological punishment are prohibited under directives of the High Court and the Ministry of Education, although implementation is not uniform everywhere. Complaints can first be submitted to the school administration or school committee, then to the relevant Upazila or district education office, and to the complaint system of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE). The Child Helpline 1098 and emergency number 999 provide additional points of contact. Special-education services exist in specialised schools and inclusive institutions, but availability varies by region and institution. Education authorities, the Ministry of Social Welfare, the Jatiyo Protibondhi Unnayan Foundation and NGOs are involved. The Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities Act of 2013 protects the rights of children with disabilities. Access to assessment, trained staff, assistive devices, transport, sanitation and reasonable accommodations remains uneven. According to the National Survey on Persons with Disabilities 2021, around 60 percent of children with disabilities aged 5 to 17 were outside the formal education system. The 2025 MICS survey reported participation in organised early childhood education of 16.6 percent among children aged 36 to 59 months. The adjusted attendance rate was 85.0 percent in primary school, 60.1 percent in lower secondary school and 50.8 percent in upper secondary school. Outside the school system were 6.5 percent of children of primary-school age, 13.1 percent of children of lower-secondary age and 33.9 percent of children of upper-secondary age. Completion rates were 83.7 percent, 69.3 percent and 43.9 percent. Among 7- to 14-year-olds, 50.2 percent achieved basic reading skills and 39.2 percent achieved basic numeracy skills. Poverty, distance, disability, child labour, child marriage, additional school costs and disasters make continued attendance especially difficult as children get older. The transition from grade 5 to grade 6 depends on places and admission procedures; the transition from grade 8 to grade 9 follows the current rules for subjects and groups.