Govt plans Tk 21,900cr digital makeover for schools

2 projects to cover half the secondary, higher secondary schools; experts recall past failures, stress better planning

In a major push to expand digital learning, the government plans to invest nearly Tk 21,900 crore in two major projects to modernise classrooms at the secondary and higher secondary levels, enhance teaching quality and prepare students for a world increasingly shaped by technology.

According to proposals by the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE), the projects will cover half of the 20,767 secondary and higher secondary educational institutions and be implemented between January 2027 and December 2031.

“The initiatives are intended to foster students’ interest in technology and give them hands-on support in developing their own projects,” said Shefatul Islam, research officer at DSHE’s Planning and Development Wing.

Conventional classroom teaching often struggles to retain students’ attention, while existing facilities are not adequately equipped to meet evolving skill requirements, he said.

The larger of the two projects, titled “Enhancing Technological Capacity and Establishing Smart Learning Environment in Secondary and Higher Secondary Educational Institutions”, will cost Tk 18,505 crore. It seeks to introduce technology-based teaching and learning in schools.

The second project, the NextGen Secondary Education Program (NGEP), will involve Tk 3,397 crore, with a focus on teacher training, classroom expansion and improved facilities for science, technology and practical learning.

Mir Zahida Naznin, DSHE director (Planning and Development), said the proposal for NGEP is now with the Planning Commission for approval after the completion of a feasibility study.

The proposal for the Tk 18,505-crore project is undergoing a feasibility study, she told this newspaper recently.

Naznin said the new initiative would be different from previous investments in digital and multimedia classrooms.

The authorities will consider the expansion of existing infrastructure, particularly whether buildings can be expanded vertically to accommodate three additional rooms for laboratories, she added.

Bangladesh has around 328,000 teachers for more than 89 lakh students in 20,767 secondary and higher secondary educational institutions across the country, shows data from Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS).

Meanwhile, several educationists have stressed the need for better planning and a proper assessment of institutional readiness before large-scale projects are rolled out.

They said that equipping schools with computers, high-speed internet and interactive digital panels will not automatically improve the quality of education. The main challenge will be to ensure that substantial investments translate into better teaching and learning, rather than adding equipment and infrastructure to schools.

They noted that previous initiatives to introduce technology in schools had faced serious implementation challenges.

One such initiative was the ICT for Education Project, which DSHE launched more than a decade ago in two phases. In the first phase, multimedia equipment worth over Tk 294 crore was provided to 23,331 educational institutions in 2015.

Three years later, an evaluation by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) found that 24 percent of surveyed teachers had unusable laptops, 14 percent had unusable projectors, and 56 percent said the training they received did not adequately prepare them to develop multimedia content.

The second phase, launched in 2016, aimed to equip 36,084 classrooms. The Tk 1,348-crore project, originally scheduled for completion by June 2020, received four deadline extensions and most recently missed its revised completion target of June 2026.

The government is now considering revising and reviving the project, said education officials.

Another government initiative that fell far short of expectations was the Tk 299-crore Sheikh Russel Digital Lab Project, launched by the ICT Division in 2014 to establish laboratories in schools in two phases.

In the first phase, 4,001 laboratories were set up between 2015 and 2019 at a revised cost of Tk 398 crore.

The second phase, approved in 2020 at a cost of Tk 939 crore, sought to establish another 5,000 laboratories and advanced digital learning facilities at 300 selected schools, labelled as Schools of Future.

In 2025, a white paper commissioned by the interim government found that the laboratories had serious shortcomings, including non-functional equipment, inadequate maintenance, and the selection of schools was politically motivated.

When contacted, M Niaz Asadullah, who chaired the white paper taskforce, said equipment had been supplied without functioning software and teachers were not properly trained to operate digital devices.

Niaz, a professor of economics at Dhaka University, further said his analysis of SSC results from 2021 to 2023 found no significant improvement in pass rates or GPA-5 outcomes in schools with digital labs.

Regarding the latest government move, he said, “Before committing Tk 21,900 crore, the government must explain how these projects will improve learning.”

He urged the government to carry out an independent evaluation, put in place a transparent procurement mechanism and set aside funds for maintenance before making investments.

Samir Ranjan Nath, programme head at the BRAC Institute of Educational Development, BRAC University, said the government should first examine whether earlier investments in computers, laboratory facilities and teacher training had changed teachers’ attitudes and improved classroom learning.

He argued that the government should prioritise the use of equipment already supplied to schools instead of launching new projects. Upazila education officials could be tasked with monitoring the use of digital devices.

Samir also said some large projects were designed primarily to spend public money rather than meet educational needs. “Irregularities in public procurement are a long-standing disease in this country.”

According to experts, project implementation is sometimes hampered by a section of teachers’ reluctance to use digital devices.

A 2020-21 BANBEIS study covering 384 secondary schools and madrasas found that of the 1,655 ICT devices recorded, 215 remained unused and 248 were out of order.

Samir said some teachers developed negative attitudes towards technology after observing students’ misuse of digital devices, particularly mobile phones, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Teachers and families also struggled to guide students towards appropriate use of technology during that period.

Another significant challenge in implementing technology-driven projects is the persistent rural-urban gap in internet access.

According to the ICT Access and Use by Households and Individuals Survey 2024-25, around 65 percent of urban households had internet access at home against 50.5 percent in rural areas. The gap is wider in computer ownership as 21.1 percent of urban households owned a computer, compared with 3.6 percent of rural households.

BRINGING TECHNOLOGY INTO CLASSROOMS

The Tk 18,505-crore project seeks to reduce the digital divide between urban and rural students by giving them equal access to technology-based education.

Interactive digital panels will be installed in 100,000 classrooms across 10,000 educational institutions. Each institution will receive broadband connectivity with a speed of 100 megabits per second (Mbps).

The project proposal includes the introduction of digital identification numbers and smart cards for teachers and students, and the creation of an online platform for organising teaching and learning activities and a digital library for storing educational materials.

Teachers will receive tablet computers and training in digital pedagogy, which goes beyond the simple use of computers and other devices. It involves using digital tools to make lessons more engaging, improve teaching methods and better understand students’ learning needs, according to DSHE officials.

EXPANSION OF CLASSROOMS, LAB FACILITIES

The Tk 3,397-crore NGEP project seeks to improve the learning environment, strengthen teachers’ professional skills and expand access to science and technology education.

The government will provide Tk 566.09 crore and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) Tk 2,662 crore for the project. The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) will offer additional support.

Under the project, training on assessment methods and digital content development will be given to 369,643 teachers and education administrators.

At least 3,000 classrooms will be constructed in 1,000 upazila-level schools using a vertical expansion model, the proposal said.

The project aims to strengthen science and technology education through specialised facilities. At least 2,100 ICT and artificial intelligence laboratories will be set up in 1,050 secondary schools, featuring learning zones for robotics, 3D printing, machine learning and advanced computing.

Teachers’ common rooms will be modernised, science laboratories upgraded, and laboratory equipment and furniture provided to 1,050 schools, said the proposal.