The Ministry of Education has now announced that the lottery system will be scrapped from 2027, with admissions based on merit through examinations.

But this raises a critical question: does the state not have a responsibility towards children who may be less academically competitive at an early age? It is difficult to see how abolishing the lottery system alone will improve the quality of school education. The core issue remains the shortage of quality schools across regions—a problem that has long gone unresolved.

5

During the interim government period, advisory committees were formed to recommend reforms in primary and secondary education. Their reports identified key challenges and proposed short-, medium-, and long-term solutions. While not exhaustive, these analyses offer a valuable starting point.

Importantly, the reports also highlighted why past reforms failed. It said that meaningful change is difficult when left to existing administrative structures alone. That is why, the committees suggested strong political commitment, to prioritise reform, must be accompanied by a high-powered reform task force.

Separate task forces could be established for major subsectors, including a dedicated one for school education. Additionally, an overarching council could guide a five-year medium-term plan and a 10-year strategic vision for the entire education sector.

Such an initiative may well be the first essential step towards meaningful and lasting reform.

* Monzur Ahmed, Emeritus Professor, BRAC University

* The views expressed are those of the author