Year
2026
Reform Domain
Manifesto Watch
Education
Source of Reform Proposals
Election Manifesto of Bangladesh Nationalist Party - BNP
Reform Proposed
Reform Initiated
Legal and Policy Framework
Operationalisation
Action Implementation
Stage of Implementation
Reform Proposed
Last Update: 10-Sep-26
This pledge is included in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s election manifesto for Bangladesh’s 13th national election. The manifesto states that "To make students skilled and capable for self-employment and for jobs in Bangladesh and abroad, technical education will be made compulsory at the secondary level alongside general education. The syllabus will be designed so that even if a family cannot support a child beyond the SSC or intermediate level, that education alone will enable the student to secure employment for themselves."
Reform Initiated
Last Update: 10-Sep-26
On 8 June 2026, the Prime Minister’s Adviser on education and primary and mass education said that the government planned to make technical and vocational education compulsory from Class VI as part of making the education system more skills-based and employment-oriented.
On 28 June 2026, the State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Bobby Hajjaj, said the government wanted to move away from a certificate-centred education system and expand vocational, skill-based and career-oriented learning so that students could become skilled and employment-ready. On 6 August 2026, the State Minister further stated that the government would work to strengthen quality technical education and expand technical skills, language education and technological knowledge in line with the needs of international labour markets.
On 28 June 2026, the State Minister for Primary and Mass Education, Bobby Hajjaj, said the government wanted to move away from a certificate-centred education system and expand vocational, skill-based and career-oriented learning so that students could become skilled and employment-ready. On 6 August 2026, the State Minister further stated that the government would work to strengthen quality technical education and expand technical skills, language education and technological knowledge in line with the needs of international labour markets.
Observation
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The government has repeatedly emphasised the importance of technical education for building careers and improving employment opportunities at home and abroad. This direction is reflected in the Five-Year Strategic Framework, which sets out short-term actions to identify skill levels, suitable fields and institutions for compulsory technical subjects, and locally relevant training courses. Within one year, the plan suggests developing a curriculum combining technical and general education, preparing teacher-training manuals, and establishing technical laboratories in secondary schools and colleges. Over five years, the intended outcome is for every student to acquire at least one technical or vocational trade. This plan needs to be backed by concrete action and timely implementation. Effective monitoring of these planned indicators will be important for assessing how successfully the pledge is implemented.