Playgrounds missing, screens taking over

A government policy has long made playgrounds mandatory in educational institutions, yet more than 15,000 primary and secondary schools across the country continue to operate without them, depriving millions of children of opportunities for outdoor play and contributing to growing dependence on digital devices, according to official data and education experts.

Even where playgrounds exist, many remain inaccessible as they are frequently occupied by community events or kept locked after school hours, defeating the purpose they are meant to serve.

The situation is evident in parts of Old Dhaka. At Suritola Model Government Primary School, Goalghat Government Primary School and Radhasundari Government Primary School, students rarely get access to their school grounds because they are regularly used for public programmes after classes. Meanwhile, Bangabandhu Government Primary School in Karkun Bari Lane near Koltabazar has no playground at all.
The shortage extends beyond school premises.

Azizul Haque, a private-sector employee living in Basila, Mohammadpur, said his two children, who study in Classes VI and VII at a private school, have neither a school playground nor an open space near their home.

As a result, they spend most of their leisure time on smartphones, tablets and television screens.

"My son often says, 'I want to play, but where can I find a playground?'" Azizul told the Daily Observer. "Children are losing interest in physical activities because they simply do not have the opportunity."

A teacher from Old Dhaka, requesting anonymity, said local restrictions also discourage children from using nearby open spaces.

"We encourage students to play outside, but many local residents do not allow them to use neighbourhood grounds. Eventually, the children stop trying," the teacher said.

Parents and educationists say excessive screen time is increasingly replacing outdoor play, affecting children's physical fitness, mental health and social development. According to the Ministry of Education's policy guidelines, every educational institution is required to have adequate facilities for sports and physical exercise. 

However, official and sectoral data show that more than 15,000 government and non-government primary and secondary schools lack playgrounds.

Dhaka alone has more than 5,000 primary, secondary and higher secondary educational institutions. More than 95 per cent are privately managed, and various studies indicate that nearly 98 per cent of private schools do not have their own playgrounds. Many operate from multi-storey buildings, rooftops or converted commercial premises with little or no open space.

The problem extends to higher education as well. More than half of the country's 116 private universities reportedly lack adequate playground facilities, while 72.26 per cent of English-medium schools also operate without proper playing fields. According to the Directorate of Primary Education, 252 of Dhaka's 342 government primary schools have no playground.

The National Education Policy 2010 made playgrounds, sports and physical education compulsory components of educational institutions. On March 25 this year, the Secondary and Higher Education Division directed schools to keep their playgrounds open for local children after school hours and on public holidays.

However, field observations found that many playgrounds remain locked after classes, while thousands of institutions have no open space at all.

The shortage has been compounded by the rapid disappearance of public open spaces in Dhaka, with many existing fields occupied by temporary markets, construction materials, vehicle trading or other commercial activities.

According to the World Health Organization, every urban resident should have access to at least nine square metres of open space. In Dhaka, however, open space per person is less than one square metre. A recent study by the Institute for Planning and Development (IPD) found that the two Dhaka city corporations require at least 610 playgrounds, but only 235 currently exist.

Researchers warn that the lack of playgrounds is directly contributing to increased screen time among children. A study by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b) found that school-going children in Dhaka spend an average of nearly five hours a day using mobile phones, televisions, tablets or computers. The study linked excessive screen time to sleep disorders, obesity, headaches, eye problems, reduced concentration and declining mental well-being.

Professor Dr Md Abdul Halim of the Institute of Education and Research at the University of Dhaka said playgrounds were indispensable for children's holistic development.

"A school cannot be considered complete with classrooms alone. Physical exercise and outdoor play are essential for students' physical, mental and social growth. An education system without playgrounds risks producing an unhealthy generation," he said, urging strict enforcement of playground requirements and alternative recreational facilities where land is scarce.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj recently said the government had undertaken plans to improve playground facilities at around 66,000 government primary schools. He added that ensuring standard playgrounds would also be considered when approving new private educational institutions.

Educationists, however, said policy commitments alone would not solve the problem. They stressed stronger enforcement, protection of urban open spaces from encroachment and effective implementation of existing directives to ensure children have safe places to play instead of spending their formative years confined to classrooms and digital screens.