Government Plans Feasibility Study on Female Stipends and School Meals

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today instructed relevant authorities to assess the feasibility of reintroducing universal stipends for female students from Class VI up to the undergraduate level.

Presiding over a meeting of the Prime Minister’s Education Assistance Trust at the Secretariat, the PM called for a detailed proposal covering potential costs, beneficiary numbers, implementation mechanisms, and expected social impacts. The initiative builds upon the previous universal stipend scheme introduced during former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia's tenure, which effectively boosted attendance also improved retention and curbed child marriage.

Additionally, the meeting discussed introducing merit- and eligibility-based stipends for male students to encourage continued education and reduce dropout rates across both genders.

Parallel to financial incentives, the government is focusing on student health and nutrition. Emphasizing zero compromise on food safety and nutritional standards, PM Tarique Rahman directed officials to launch pilot mid-day meal programs in two districts to test two separate implementation models, evaluating their cost-efficiency with quality control and local community involvement.

The meeting was attended by Education Minister Dr. ANM Ehsanul Hoque Milon, PM's Education Adviser Mahdi Amin and Education Secretary Abdul Khaleque, among other senior officials.