‘Corruption key obstacle to budget transparency’
Transparency in budget management in any sector, including education, is impossible in a nation plagued by corruption, said speakers at an event yesterday.
They made these remarks in a discussion titled "Education for Out of School: How to Mitigate Challenges" while discussing the need to increase the education budget to ensure all children are enrolled in school.
The Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) organised the views-exchange meeting with relevant stakeholders at a hotel in the capital.
Approximately 41 percent of children and adolescents were out of the education system last year, said Md Abdur Rouf, programme manager of CAMPE.
The government has already initiated the "Out of School Children Education" project to incorporate these children within the scope of the "Second Chance" programme.
Approximately 41 percent of children and adolescents were out of the education system last year.
The effectiveness of this short-term project-based programme is doubtful, often falling short and lacking meaningful impact for many students, said Rouf.
Hence, these children should be incorporated into the mainstream education framework, he recommended.
Economic hardship, lack of parental awareness, difficulties in reaching remote areas and early marriage are some of the reasons behind school dropout. To address these challenges, he presented some recommendations, including increasing the amount of stipends and implementing non-formal education as needed.
He also called for a gradual increase in investment in education to at least 4-6 percent of GDP.
Author Syed Manzoorul Islam said, "We see the government constantly approving new projects, but there's a lack of coordination. Consequently, crores of taka are wasted on mere project oversight. If we can save some of these funds, we could invest them in critical areas like education for dropouts."
Highlighting the past practice of finance ministers consulting business interests before budget announcements, he said these stakeholders prioritise profit over social welfare or education.
Professor Emeritus Manzoor Ahmed acknowledged the shortcomings of the current "Second Chance" programme. He urged the government to explore alternative solutions before closing the programme altogether.
"Without innovative thinking, simply relying on traditional methods will not produce effective results," he added.
Noorjahan Khatun, additional secretary (development) to the primary and mass education ministry, said, "We need to understand why children drop out of school before finding solutions."
We all need to work together to reduce dropout rates and further develop informal education opportunities.
"We all need to work together to reduce dropout rates and further develop informal education opportunities," she added.
Raja Devasish Roy, chief of the Chakma Circle, spoke about the importance of stakeholders' involvement from all sectors when formulating and amending education policies.
The programme was moderated by CAMPE Executive Director Rasheda K Chowdhury, and Deputy Director Tapan Kumar Dash delivered a welcome speech.
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