The Impact of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Primary Education in Bangladesh

Abstract

The overall objective of this chapter was to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on primary education in Bangladesh. Published government and non-government reports, books, research papers, and newspaper articles were reviewed to write the chapter. The chapter discusses the primary and general education system of Bangladesh and the overall measures that have been taken by the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) considering the prolonged closure of schools for the COVID-19 outbreak. Analysis showed that GoB has introduced distant learning through various digital learning platforms, but the initiatives have proven ineffective. The chapter further discusses how poor access to technological devices has hindered the process of availing online education, and also the association of how the fall of parental income and rural and urban differentiation in facilities have affected primary children's education and led to learning poverty and multi-dimensional disparity. The analysis would be important in the creation of guidelines for policymakers, government officials, NGO managers, academicians, and researchers.