JS body recommends increasing number of primary schools

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has recommended increasing the number of primary schools across the country to ensure that every child has access to primary education.

The committee also called for urgent steps to fill all vacant posts of headteachers in government primary schools.

The recommendations were made at the first meeting of the committee of the 13th Parliament at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Wednesday, with committee chairperson Mahmuda Habiba in the chair.

Primary and Mass Education Minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon, State Minister Bobby Hajjaj and committee members Lutfor Rahman Khan Azad, Md Abdus Salam, Md Sadiq Riaz, Md Ilias Molla, Md Moktar Ali and Mahfuza Hannan attended the meeting.

The committee also recommended making moral education compulsory at the primary level. It called for ensuring quality and adequate nutrition under the ongoing school feeding programme and recommended punitive action against those responsible if the required quality standards are not maintained.

The committee stressed the proper implementation of budgetary allocations in different sectors under the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.

To assess the situation at the grassroots level, the committee advised its members to visit primary schools while classes are in session. Such visits would allow MPs to observe school activities and identify problems directly at the field level.