Primary Education:
Improving the quality of education is important to achieving primary completion for all (a Millennium Development Goal). Several issues need attention:
- A high dropout rate of 48 percent
- Low achievement rates
- An average teacher student ratio of 1:54
- 28 percent of all teachers are untrained

Secondary Education:
Better governance has led to improvements in secondary level education in Bangladesh. Pass rates in Grade 10 examinations rose to 50 percent in 2005 from a baseline of 37 percent in 2003. But, other key challenges remain:
- Expanding access
- Increasing learning
- Tying public financing of non-government schools to performance
- Training of existing as well as new teachers
- Improving information system to support policy formulation and planning

Vocational Education and Tertiary Education:
More vocational and tertiary education is required to train Bangladeshi youth for work. Along with expanded access, education at these levels requires:
- Better governance
- De-politicization of university management
- Improved, relevant curricula
- Better information system to support policy formulation and planning

The World Bank has been a consistent and major supporter of education in Bangladesh.

At the primary education level, the World Bank supports the Primary Education Development Program II, a sector-wide program, along with 10 other development partners. Another project, Reaching Out-of-School Children Project, piloted in 60 upazilas (sub-districts), assists around 500,000 out-of-school children getting back to school. Additionally, the recently completed Post-Literacy and Continuing Education Project financed further education for second-chance learners.

At the secondary education level, the Bank is collaborating with the Ministry of Education on a series of Development Policy Lending operations, now in the third phase, focusing on governance, teacher-related issues, curriculum, and textbooks. Development policy credits promote public financial reforms and devolution of roles to local communities. Since 1994, Bank financing was provided to support the Government’s Female Secondary School Assistance Project which helped triple the access for girls to secondary education. Bangladesh has requested support for the third phase of its stipend project.

At the vocational education levels, the Bank has provided technical assistance to the Government in developing strategies within vocational education and training.

At the tertiary education level, the Government and the Bank are jointly preparing a project to enhance quality.