‘Allocate 20pc of budget for education sector’

A platform for children today called upon the government to allocate 20 percent of the national budget for the education sector to ensure education for every child.

They also urged the government to appoint efficient teachers and establish standard laboratories, multimedia classrooms and computer labs to improve the quality of education.

The organisation, National Children's Task Force (NCTF), placed their demands in the form of proposals prepared on the basis of discussions among 4,800 children from 64 districts and placed it at a press conference held at National Press Club in Dhaka.

The proposals include ensuring separate infrastructure in schools for the students with special needs (such as establishing ramps), ensuring mid-day meals in the schools for the children from destitute families, establishing libraries in every school and keeping the children safe from harmful sites or activities on the internet.

"We want to see a reflection of children’s voice in the upcoming national budget," NCTF President Safayet Zamil said at the conference.

NCTF also stressed the need for establishing more schools and hospitals in the haor and char areas and ensure the presence of adequate teachers and doctors in the respective institutions.

Bangladesh committed to the Dakar Declaration and in various global forums that it would spend six percent of the GDP or allocate at least 20 percent of the national budget for education.

President (Dhaka Unit) of NCTF Faria Mehjabin and Deputy Speaker of Child Parliament (a wing of NCTF) Ferdous Naeem were also present at the press conference.