C T Online Desk: All primary-level students (grades one to five) will receive their full set of textbooks by the end of February, confirmed Professor Dr Bidhan Ranjan Roy, adviser to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
Speaking to journalists on Monday after a reading conference in Gazipur, the adviser assured that efforts were underway to distribute the remaining books as soon as possible. The conference was jointly organized by the directorate of Primary Education and Room to Read Bangladesh.
Earlier, on Sunday, after the second session of the Deputy Commissioners’ Conference, the education adviser said that secondary-level students would receive textbooks for subjects with annual exams within February.
Despite the annual tradition of distributing textbooks on January 1, this year’s process faced delays due to late tender invitations and logistical issues. As a result, even now, many students had yet to receive half of their textbooks.
Additionally, Dr Bidhan emphasized the importance of adhering to the national curriculum in kindergartens. The reading conference was presided over by Dr Md Abdul Hakim, director general of the Directorate of Primary Education.
In response to a question from journalists regarding the growing preference among parents for enrolling their children in kindergartens, the adviser said: “It is a personal choice for parents to decide where their children should study. If someone wishes to enroll their child in a kindergarten, that is entirely their decision. Our responsibility is to enhance the quality of primary education.”
Special guests included Professor Hosne Ara, director of the Institute of Education and Research at Dhaka University; Mohammad Atiqur Rahman, additional director general (PEDP-4); and Zia Ahmed Sumon, director of the National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE). Rakhi Sarkar, country director of Room to Read Bangladesh, delivered the welcome speech.
