Edn Minister defends decision to bin lottery system in school entry

Education Minister Dr ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon has defended the government's decision to end the lottery system in school admissions, stating that the mechanism neither ensures merit-based selection nor addresses socio-economic inequality.

Speaking as chief guest at a programme held at Azimpur Government Girls School and College in the capital on Sunday, the minister said, "There has been a lot of criticism against me for doing away with the lottery. Some say it has created discrimination between the rich and the poor. But the lottery system does not determine who is meritorious and who is not. It also does not reduce inequality."

Referring to alleged irregularities in the admission process, he added, "Admissions are made through the lottery, but how many actually get admitted through the lottery and how many through partiality, I know all that. I have the information. I am saying clearly, the lottery does not determine merit." Questioning prevailing perceptions about institutional disparity, the minister said, "There are good schools everywhere. Why would your children go elsewhere instead of attending the school near your home Are teachers not responsible for this"

He emphasised that ensuring quality instruction within classrooms remains a policy priority. "In many cases, since teachers are not teaching properly, parents are forced to hire private tutors or send their children to coaching centres. This trend must be addressed," he said.

The minister also disclosed that a proposal is under consideration to constitute a commission comprising retired teachers to oversee the selection of managing committee chairpersons across educational institutions, noting that a final decision is yet to be taken.