Bangladesh secures $300 million World Bank funding to improve primary education

The World Bank has approved $300 million in financing to strengthen primary education in Bangladesh, targeting improved learning outcomes for 26 million children from pre-primary to Grade 5.

The funding will support the Learning Enhancement and Acceleration in Primary Education Programme, which aims to address persistent gaps in foundational learning, particularly in reading, writing and mathematics. The initiative will also support the Bangladesh government's Fifth Primary Education Development Programme, with a focus on improving classroom teaching, strengthening school leadership and ensuring children acquire essential skills in their early years.

Despite achieving near-universal access to primary education, Bangladesh continues to face a significant learning crisis. Around 50% of 10-year-olds cannot read and understand a simple, age-appropriate text. The figure compares with 42% in Malaysia and 47% in Brazil, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the country's education system. “Quality primary education is one of the building blocks for a globally competitive workforce,” said Jean Pesme, World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan. Under the programme, schools will receive foundational literacy and numeracy materials, structured lesson plans and teacher training to improve the quality of classroom instruction.

The initiative will also strengthen school leadership, with headteacher training planned for 90% of government primary schools. Better school management systems will be introduced to improve institutional effectiveness and support learning. Particular attention will be given to children who are falling behind. The programme will provide remedial learning support to struggling students, with additional focus on districts recording weaker educational outcomes. It will also seek to improve pre-primary education, strengthen teacher development and school leadership, and encourage more effective use of education data and public budgets.

The financing has been provided through the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group's concessional financing arm for lower-income countries. The $300 million financing carries a 25-year repayment period, including a five-year grace period.