Bangla Press Desk: The government has decided to provide laptops to 40,000 students who achieved a 'Golden GPA-5' in the SSC and equivalent examinations. This information emerged from the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education, held at the National Parliament House on September 10.
During the meeting, Abdul Khaleq, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, stated that a budget of 57,301.68 crore BDT has been proposed for the Secondary and Higher Education Division for the 2026-27 fiscal year—an increase of 42.7% over the previous revised budget. As part of an effort to meet international standards, foster merit, and enhance technical proficiency, it has been decided to provide a laptop to each of the approximately 40,000 students who achieve a 'Golden GPA-5' in 2026.
According to relevant sources, the first meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education took place on September 10 at the National Parliament House. These new proposals for the country's education sector were outlined in the meeting's minutes.
The committee's minutes indicate that the government has initiated a plan to provide laptops to approximately 40,000 students who achieve a 'Golden GPA-5' in 2026, with the aim of nurturing talent and improving technical skills. Furthermore, a landmark step has been taken to disburse outstanding dues to approximately 70,000 retired teachers and staff directly into their bank accounts using the EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer) and iBAS++ systems. During the meeting, the committee unanimously expressed its gratitude to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for this initiative.
Previously, at an event in Khulna, the Minister of Education and Primary & Mass Education, Dr. A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milon, had mentioned that tablets would be provided to all students who secured a GPA-5 in the SSC examinations.
Subsequently, on September 1, a statement issued by the Education Minister’s media cell announced the initiative to provide laptops to those who achieve a 'Golden GPA-5'.
The statement noted, "Laptops will be provided to those who achieve a 'Golden GPA-5' in this year's SSC and equivalent examinations." Meanwhile, at a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education, a series of proposals and recommendations were put forward. These include ensuring the transparent use of funds allocated to the education sector, identifying existing challenges in education and developing strategies to address them, fostering an academic environment free from irregularities and corruption, conducting research to uncover the actual reasons behind the decline in the number of secondary-level students, enhancing teacher training, establishing a high-quality education system, and promoting technical education.
Md. Selim Bhuiyan, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education, stated that several decisions were reached during the committee’s first meeting aimed at improving the quality of education. He emphasized that aligning our students with international standards necessitates the implementation of year-based assessments and a modern curriculum.
"We believe that learning outcomes should be evaluated not just annually, but every three or six months," he noted. In future meetings, the committee intends to provide further detailed recommendations to ensure educational quality. Additionally, a press conference will be organized to present a comprehensive roadmap for the education sector.
International Standards in Education and Year-based Assessment
The parliamentary committee reviewed the existing assessment system within the country’s education sector, noting that a high pass rate alone cannot be considered a true measure of educational success. Members of the committee urged a departure from the current, flawed system, advocating instead for the introduction of year-based learning outcome assessments and a world-class curriculum. Furthermore, they proposed the development of a long-term, stable national educational vision—modeled after the Malaysian approach—to ensure that the fundamental framework of education policy, curricula, and textbooks remains consistent, even when there are changes in government or ministerial leadership. Committee member Reza Kibria remarked that it is essential to adopt specific, year-based international standards to ensure that students do not fall behind in core subjects like mathematics and science.
The parliamentary committee put forward seven recommendations to enhance the quality of education, a key point being the development of a year-based assessment system designed to meet international educational standards. Members of the parliamentary committee are conducting visits to schools and colleges to ensure the proper utilization of allocations in the education sector and to foster an environment free from corruption. It has been mandated that the heads of all educational boards—including the National University—and their subordinate offices must be present at future meetings. Furthermore, a separate list is being compiled to expedite the settlement of outstanding dues owed to teachers who are Hajj pilgrims or are suffering from serious, long-term illnesses. Efforts are also underway to accelerate the disbursement of pending allowances, subject to budgetary availability. Education experts in the country have hailed these initiatives and recommendations by the parliamentary committee as highly timely and groundbreaking. They note that the committee’s call to move away from the artificial metric of pass rates—in favor of annual learning-outcome assessments and the introduction of a world-class curriculum—will play a pivotal role in the qualitative transformation of the education system.
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