The Executive Board of Directors of the World Bank has approved $300 million USD in financing to improve the quality of education for approximately 26 million pre-primary and primary school students in Bangladesh. Announced from the World Bank’s Dhaka office on Saturday, November 7, 2026, the funding supports the ‘Learning Enhancement and Acceleration in Primary Education (LEAP)’ program, serving as a major catalyst for the government's fifth primary education development initiative.
While Bangladesh has achieved near-universal school enrollment, educational quality remains a critical challenge. World Bank data highlights that approximately 50% of 10-year-old children in Bangladesh cannot read and understand a simple age-appropriate text—comparing with 42% in Malaysia and 47% in Brazil among upper-middle-income peers. World Bank Country Director for Bangladesh and Bhutan Jean Pesme emphasized that foundational learning is the bedrock of a globally competitive workforce.
Read nextDhaka Market Update: Early Winter Vegetables Offer Relief, But Fish and Meat Prices Stay SteepThe program will introduce structured lesson plans, enhanced classroom teaching materials, and specialized foundational literacy and numeracy packages. It will also provide leadership training to headteachers across nearly 90% of government primary schools and target remedial learning support for disadvantaged districts. Funded through an International Development Association (IDA) credit, the 25-year loan comes with a five-year grace period.
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