The seminar on achieving the goals of Education for All (Efa) was organised by Dhaka Ahsania Mission (Dam) in the city.

"Nearly 4.5 million children can never attain primary education," said Mohammad Rafiqul Hasan, a Dam researcher, while presenting the findings of a study on 'Barriers to Schooling'.

Poverty, lack of parent's motivation and other physical barriers are some of the potential hindrances to having cent percent enrollment and completion of primary education, he said in the study conducted at several villages of Netrokona and Bauniabandh Tin-shed Colony on the bank of the river Turag.

Ensuring quality education is badly needed to decrease the rate of drop out, he added.

While one-third of the children are dropped out, another one-third remain illiterate though they continue their enrollment, said Dr Manzoor Ahmed of Brac University.

Besides, there is no mechanism to assess the quality of education for the rest of the children, he said.

"Every two out of three children remain unskilled in terms of receiving quality primary education," Dr Ahmed said, adding, "It's a syndrome of poverty and disadvantage."

He said teachers often fail to compassionately address those children who come to school despite various disadvantages like hunger, absence of congenial environment at home, lack of proper health and parents' inability.

The poor parents should be exempted from bearing the financial burden for the schooling of their children and assured of a meaningful benefit of sending their children to school instead of taking them to work, he added.

Former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Dr Kazi Saleh Ahmed and Deputy Director of primary education directorate Md Abdul Mannan Miah also spoke at the seminar presided over by Dam President Kazi Rafiqul Alam.