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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has ordered a feasibility review of reintroducing a universal stipend programme for girls from class 6 through the undergraduate level.
He also directed authorities to launch pilot projects in two districts to assess the effectiveness of school-based mid-day meal programmes.
The directives came at a meeting on the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust at the Prime Minister’s Office on Monday (24 August), chaired by the prime minister.
Officials briefed the meeting on the trust’s ongoing activities, objectives and role in preventing student dropouts through financial assistance.
The meeting also reviewed the impact of the universal stipend programme for girls introduced during the tenure of former prime minister Khaleda Zia. Participants highlighted its contribution to increasing girls’ school attendance, keeping them in education and discouraging child marriage.
In light of those outcomes, Tarique Rahman instructed officials to examine the possibility of restoring the programme from Grade 6 to the undergraduate level.
He called for a detailed proposal assessing the estimated cost, number of beneficiaries, implementation mechanism and expected social and educational impact.
The meeting also discussed providing merit-based stipends to boys to encourage them to continue their education.
On school meals, the prime minister stressed that food provided to students must be nutritious, safe and of high quality, with no compromise on food standards.
Two alternative models for implementing the mid-day meal programme were discussed, considering costs, management efficiency, local participation and quality control. The prime minister ordered separate pilot projects in two districts to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the two models.
Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, Prime Minister’s Education Adviser and Spokesperson Mahdi Amin, Education Secretary Abdul Khaleque and Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, among other senior officials, attended the meeting.