Families struggle as education costs on a steady rise
A 128-page notebook now costs at least Tk 50. Based on quality these sell for up to Tk 75. Just four to five years ago, the same notebook used to cost around Tk 30. Similarly, the price of a 200-page notebook has risen from Tk 50 to Tk 80–90, and a 300-page notebook is now priced at Tk 120, up from Tk 80.
People concerned note that even around 2020–21, the price of a ream of paper was Tk 16, but now it has doubled to Tk 35. The price of paper has been rising for the last couple of years and has directly affected educational materials like books, notebooks, and practical files. On average, the price of such educational materials has nearly doubled in the past five years.
Mahbub Alam, senior sales assistant at a shop named Lucky Books and Stationery in Cantonment area of Dhaka, said the most commonly used paper for notebooks is the ‘55 GSM’ type. In 2020, a ream used to cost him Tk 1,020. Today, it costs around Tk 2,100. The price of school books has also risen sharply. Books that used to cost Tk 200 now ranges between Tk 350 and Tk 400.
Visiting various shops in Kochukhet, Mirpur-10 and Nilkhet areas of the capital it was found that Chinese-imported items like pens, pencil boxes, and plastic files are more in demand.
Even around 2020–21, the price of a ream of paper was Tk 16, but now it has doubled to Tk 35. The price of paper has been rising for the last couple of years and has directly affected educational materials.
However, their prices have not surged much due to competitive import markets. Though pen prices rose briefly sometimes back, they have returned to previous levels again. Pencil prices however, have seen a slight increase.
Alongside educational materials, school tuition fees and private tutoring costs have risen as well. Parents complain that while education costs climb, their incomes have not increased accordingly. So they are struggling to cover household expenses after meeting their children’s educational expenses.
A parent from Bashundhara residential area, whose daughter is in Class 5 at a well-known school in the capital, pays Tk 1,300 in tuition and Tk 5,000 for private tutoring every month. Twice a year, they have to buy a set of 14 notebooks also. The monthly cost for the child’s education including transport and other expenses amounts to nearly Tk 10,000.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, this parent told Prothom Alo, “Even if it’s difficult, we have to spend on children’s education to ensure quality. We have no other option. Education costs are like this in good schools. But if education expenses were lower, it would ease financial pressure on middle-class families.” This parent’s younger son is in nursery, and the combined monthly education cost for both children exceeds Tk 16,000.
There are concerns about whether low-income city resident families can afford such school fees. There are also complains that some private schools are imposing extra charges under various pretexts.
Meanwhile another parent, Md Babul, earns less than that each month selling pitha (local rice cakes) in Mirpur-14 area. With a monthly income of Tk 12,000-15,000, he struggles to cover basic costs like rent, food, and medicine, let alone save for his child’s education. This father certainly cannot afford high quality schooling for his child.
What experts say
Educationist and former caretaker government advisor Rasheda K Choudhury said that educational costs have increased in every sector starting from notebooks and books to tuition fees and extra charges imposed by schools on various pretext.
She told Prothom Alo, “With regret we must say that the fees and other costs in educational institutes increased at the government’s order. The government might have done this with a good intention to prevent schools from raising fees arbitrarily. But, how many low-income parents can afford this if they have several children?”
Acknowledging government initiatives like stipends and midday meals, she said these are undoubtedly good initiatives but also noted that these have not increased in line with inflation.
Notably, the government has set fee guidelines for MPO and non-MPO school and college students, excluding tuition fees. According to the Private Educational Institutions’ Tuition Fee Policy 2024, MPO-affiliated schools in city corporation zones can charge students from Class Six to Ten up to Tk 2,465 per year in non-tuition fees.
The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2022, published in 2023, states that 71 per cent of the educational expenses in Bangladesh are borne by families.
In district headquarters, municipal towns, and upazila centres, the fee is capped at Tk 1,850, while for rural schools it can go up to Tk 1,405. Non-MPO schools are allowed to charge more.
This raises concerns about whether low-income city resident families can afford such fees. There are also complains that some private schools are imposing extra charges under various pretexts.
Rasheda K Choudhury added that she hasn’t noticed any government-level monitoring into irregularities in schools. She said it’s unreasonable for families to bear such a heavy financial burden for education. It is the government's responsibility to ensure accessible education.
The UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report 2022, published in 2023, states that 71 per cent of the educational expenses in Bangladesh are borne by families. Fees in NGO-run schools are three times higher than those in public institutions. And, for private kindergartens, the cost is nine times higher.
The report also notes the growing burden of private tuition highlighting that in rural areas, the percentage of families paying for private tuition increased from 28 per cent in 2000 to 54 per cent in 2010, while in city areas, it increased from 48 per cent to 67 per cent over the same period.