7,100 teachers, students, educational institutions to get special grants

The government is set to disburse a special grant totaling Taka 6.41 crore to benefit 7,100 teachers, students, and educational institutions nationwide. This allocation aims to support various stakeholders within the education system.

According to an official letter dated June 17, signed by Liuza-ul-Jannah, Deputy Secretary of the budget section of the Secondary and Higher Education Department within the Ministry of Education, the recipients include 101 educational institutions, 250 teachers and staff, 4,047 secondary school students, and 2,702 students from colleges and universities.

The letter clarifies that this decision facilitates the distribution of funds previously allocated under the “Special Grants” sector of the Secondary and Higher Education Department for the current fiscal year.

Detailed breakdown of the grant allocation:

• Educational Institutions: 101 institutions will each receive Taka one lakh, totaling Taka 1.01 crore.
• Teachers and Employees: 250 individuals will each be granted Taka 30,000, amounting to Taka 75 lakh.
• Secondary School Students: 4,047 students will receive Taka 8,000 each, totaling Taka 3 crore 23 lakh and 76 thousand.
• 11th and 12th Grade Students: 1,428 students will each be given Taka 9,000, summing up to Taka 1 crore 28 lakh 52 thousand.
• Graduation and Above Students: 1,274 students will each be allocated Taka 10,000, making a total of Taka 1 crore 27 lakh and 40 thousand.

The distribution of these funds will be facilitated through Bangladesh Post Department’s digital financial service, “Nagad.” Grants for educational institutions will be directly transferred to their respective bank accounts online, while funds for teachers, employees, and students will be disbursed via mobile banking to their “Nagad” accounts.

A policy governing special allocations for all private general educational institutions, as well as for teachers and students of both government and private institutions, was previously formulated via a letter signed by Dr. Sheikh Abdur Rashid, then Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education. This policy outlines a two-tiered scrutiny process: a nine-member district-level committee, chaired by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) with the District Education Officer as member secretary, will review applications. Subsequently, a 13-member final scrutiny committee, convened by the Additional Secretary (Administration and Finance) of the Ministry of Education and with the Deputy Secretary/Senior Assistant Secretary (Budget) as member secretary, will make final decisions.

Ministry sources indicate that in granting these allocations, priority has been given to developing educational institutions in underdeveloped areas, teachers and employees suffering from incurable diseases, and students from distressed, disabled, third gender, helpless, sick, poor, talented, and backward communities. Specifically, grants have been earmarked for teachers and students battling conditions such as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, hepatitis, diabetes, paralysis, chest disease, requiring prosthetic limbs, or suffering from serious injuries due to accidents.

Siddique Zobair, Senior Secretary of the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education, reiterated the government’s commitment to equitable education. He told BSS, “The government is working to spread education equally to all. To this end, special grants are being allocated to backward but well-performing educational institutions as well as to support affected teachers, staff and students.”