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Need-based priority urged for scholarships, stipends
Published : Tuesday, 15 September, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Observer online report
Primary and Mass Education State Minister Bobby Hajjaj has stressed the need for an equity-based system that prioritises students’ financial needs and vulnerability over equal distribution of scholarships and stipends.
Every taka of government assistance must reach students who genuinely need it to continue their education.
The workshop, titled ‘Evidence to Action: Presenting Research Findings on the Effectiveness of School Level Improvement Plan (SLIP)’, was organised jointly by the Directorate of Primary Education, the Power and Participation Research Centre (PPRC) and UNICEF at the Bishwo Shahitya Kendra auditorium in the capital.
Bobby said providing equal assistance to all students does not necessarily ensure equity in education. Giving greater priority to those in greater need is the true meaning of fairness, he said.
He noted that even a small amount of financial assistance can play a significant role in keeping children from poor and disadvantaged families in school. Scholarship and stipend policies should therefore consider household financial capacity, children’s socioeconomic vulnerability and the risk of dropping out.
The state minister said the need for government financial assistance could be reassessed for families that can afford private education despite the availability of free education at government primary schools.
On the other hand, children from families struggling to meet education costs should receive the highest priority, he said.
“Our responsibility is to ensure that limited government resources reach the children who need them most,” Bobby said.
He said the government’s goal was not merely to ensure children’s enrolment in schools but also to prevent them from dropping out because of poverty, financial hardship or other barriers.
Scholarships, stipends, educational materials and school feeding programmes should therefore be made more coordinated and targeted, he added.
The state minister also stressed the importance of teaching swimming as a life-saving skill to primary school students.
Children in many parts of the country live in environments surrounded by ponds, rivers and other water bodies. Swimming should therefore be integrated into primary education as a life skill and a means of safety, rather than being treated only as a sport, he said.
“Children must be given not only book-based knowledge but also the skills necessary to protect their own lives,” Bobby said.
UNICEF Education Specialist Joy Milan Male delivered the opening remarks at the event. PPRC Executive Chairman Dr Hossain Zillur Rahman presented the research findings.
UNICEF Bangladesh Chief of Education Deepa Shankar and Campaign for Popular Education Executive Director Rasheda K Chowdhury also took part in the discussion. Officials from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Directorate of Primary Education attended the workshop.
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
