The World Bank has approved $300 million in financing to improve the quality of pre-primary and primary education for around 2.6 crore children in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on developing foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

The financing was approved by the World Bank Group’s Board of Executive Directors on November 6 for the Learning Enhancement and Acceleration in Primary Education Programme, which will support the government’s Fifth Primary Education Development Programme, according to a press release.

The initiative aims to improve learning outcomes from pre-primary to Grade 5, strengthen teaching quality and school management, and provide additional academic support to children struggling to keep up with their studies.

Despite achieving near-universal access to primary education, Bangladesh continues to face significant challenges in ensuring quality learning.

According to the World Bank, around 50% of 10-year-old children in Bangladesh cannot read and understand a simple, age-appropriate text. The corresponding figures are 42% in Malaysia and 47% in Brazil, both upper-middle-income countries.

“Quality primary education is one of the building blocks for a globally competitive workforce,” said Jean Pesme, World Bank Division Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.

He said the World Bank Group had helped bring nearly all children into schools over the past two decades, while the new financing would help them learn better and remain in school, creating a foundation for improved employment opportunities.

Bangladesh’s primary education system serves more than 2 crore children in government and non-government schools, kindergartens and madrasas.

Under the programme, the World Bank will support a foundational literacy and numeracy package featuring teaching materials, structured lesson plans and teacher training.

The initiative will also provide leadership training for headteachers in 90% of government primary schools and strengthen school management systems.

Special remedial learning support will be provided to students falling behind academically, particularly in districts with the weakest learning outcomes.

“Strong foundational learning is a critical step towards the accumulation of skills for better jobs. To ensure that no children are left behind, the programme will support remedial learning for children who are falling behind, with a focus on districts that lag the furthest,” said Tashmina Rahman, World Bank Senior Education Specialist and team leader of the programme.

She added that the initiative would strengthen teacher and school leadership, improve accountability in budget utilisation and promote greater use of data in decision-making.

The programme will also train and support government primary school teachers to deliver improved literacy and numeracy lessons.

In addition, it is expected to enhance pre-primary education in government primary schools, helping children develop essential skills and prepare for formal schooling.

The World Bank estimates that the programme will generate 843,000 additional and better-paid jobs in government primary schools.

The financing comes from the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank Group’s fund for lower-income countries. It carries a 25-year repayment term, including a five-year grace period.