Junior Minister Bobby Hajjaj Calls for Overhaul of Science Education Amid Declining Enrollment

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State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj has voiced deep concern over the declining enrollment in science streams, noting that the percentage of higher secondary students pursuing the discipline has plummeted to just 20 percent. Speaking at an event in Dhaka, Hajjaj emphasized the critical necessity of science education for national development, arguing that efforts to overcome student anxiety toward the subject are paramount. He underscored the need for a rigorous academic standard, asserting that the government aims to ensure students receive a quality education rather than one that falls below expected benchmarks.

The Minister acknowledged that the current primary education system faces significant challenges, noting that data shows 50 percent of students fail to achieve minimum learning outcomes in their native language, with even higher rates of deficiency in mathematics and English. He conceded that the government has yet to fully succeed in delivering high-quality primary education and indicated that substantial systemic reforms are required to bridge these gaps. To improve literacy and numeracy, the government intends to establish minimum standards for curriculum, teacher quality, and infrastructure across all education streams, including English medium, Bangla medium, and madrasas.

As a potential remedy to foster interest in technical fields, Hajjaj praised a “play lab” initiative developed by BRAC and the LEGO Foundation. The government plans to launch pilot projects in several schools using this model, which aims to introduce children to science and technology through interactive play. If successful in the nation’s 65,000 public primary schools, the model could be extended to the country’s 70,000 private schools and madrasas. The Minister also specifically highlighted the decline in female students pursuing science, emphasizing that a concerted effort is needed to encourage more young women to enter the field.

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During the same event, which marked the launch of the “Sustaining Play, Learning and Skills in Humanitarian Contexts” (SPLASH) initiative, Health Minister Sardar Md. Saakhawat Hossain announced that the government is expanding dialysis services nationwide. The plan includes the deployment of 50 dialysis beds in medical college hospitals, 10 in district-level hospitals, and 10 in every upazila health complex.

The SPLASH project itself, a five-year, $50 million partnership between BRAC and the LEGO Foundation, is designed to provide educational and psychological support to 400,000 children and adolescents affected by humanitarian crises in Bangladesh and Uganda. BRAC Executive Director Asif Saleh noted that the organization has spent three years developing low-cost, sustainable models for community health and education. According to data shared at the event, more than 473 million children currently live in conflict-affected regions globally, with over 52 million of them excluded from formal schooling.