Bangladesh as one of the South Asian countries has been striving to develop a comprehensive
education policy since its independence but failed to formulate such policy that could contribute to the
development of the economy. The basic problem of primary and secondary level is poor enrolment
and low retention rate in the school. To combat with this problem government of Bangladesh has been
undertaking myriad policies and programs. Among such policies Female Secondary Stipend Program
(FSSP), Food For Education Program (FFEP) and Free Text Book Distribution Program to the
students of primary and secondary level are some innovative and better contributing policy
interventions in the field of female education in Bangladesh. All these policy interventions are
purported with the pivotal motto of reducing drop rate and increasing enrollment rate in the secondary
education. All these policies are currently in operation except the Food for Education Program which
has transformed into a cash transfer program very recently. Based on the policy problem of reducing
dropout rate of the secondary female students in the school, the above policies on FFEP, FTBDP and
FSSP were chosen as three policy alternatives taking FSSP as status quo with a view to measuring
efficacy of these policies employing the cost effectiveness analysis method apprising their relative
worth in reducing dropout of female students in the secondary level calculating the base year 1994 and
analyzing up to 2015 years data and thereafter to suggest the best policy option for the government of
Bangladesh. Data were generated and gathered from the available literatures on the above-mentioned
alternatives. Primarily FSSP populations were used as baseline population and compare it with
dropout and enrolment rate achieved of all the relevant alternatives and based on the unit cost and
retained student CEA of all the policy alternatives were calculated on excel sheets first and all data
were manually transformed into word format. The findings of the policy analysis unearthed the fact
that in considering CEA of all the policy alternatives it was found that by using $1 it is possible to
achieve a non-drop out sustained of 219 females in case of status quo (FSSP). In case of FTBDP by
using 1$ it will be possible to retain 970 female students. In relation to FFEP it will cost the same $1
to achieve a non-drop out sustained of 14371 females enrolled. [...]
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 A Brief Overview of Educational System in Bangladesh
1.2 The Status of Primary and Secondary in Education in Bangladesh
2. Statement of the Policy Problem
2.1 Policy Objectives
2.2 Policy Analysis Type
2.3 Objective of Policy Analysis
2.4 Policy Alternatives
2.5 Review of Literature
2.6 Methodology Followed
2.7 Policy Criteria/Indicators for Measuring Efficacy of FSSP and Cost Effectiveness Analysis
2.8 Limitation of the Policy Analysis
3. Data Presentation and Analysis
3.1 Enrollment Scenario during 1994-2015
3.2 Drop out Scenario during the Period 1994-2015
3.3 Analysis of All Data
4. Major Findings and Policy Recommendations
4.1 Recommendations
Objectives and Research Focus
This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of three major education interventions in Bangladesh—the Free Text Book Distribution Program (FTBDP), the Female Secondary Stipend Program (FSSP), and the Food for Education Program (FFEP)—to determine which policy best reduces female dropout rates and enhances student retention in secondary education.
- Comparative analysis of education policy efficacy in Bangladesh.
- Evaluation of cost-effectiveness regarding student retention and enrollment.
- Assessment of the "status quo" policy (FSSP) against alternative interventions.
- Policy recommendations based on resource optimization and educational outcomes.
Auszug aus dem Buch
1. Introduction
Over the last 20 years, Bangladesh has achieved tremendous success in its macro-economic management with an average growth of 6 per cent and the country is on track to become a middle income country by 2021 when it celebrates its 50 years of independence. The percentage of people living in poverty declined from 59% to 40% and the country's human development index improved from 0.347 in 1975 to 0.547 in 2005. Child mortality has fallen substantially and gender parity in primary education has been achieved (UNDP, 2007). Despite these successes, more than 50 million of the people still live in poverty. The current literacy rate is 49.1% (2011) and life expectancy is 67 years (GOB, 2011).
Bangladesh has made impressive strides in a relatively short time in terms of achieving gender parity at both primary and secondary levels. Educational attainment for women in Bangladesh was once among the lowest in the world. The 1991 census indicated that only 20% of women were literate, with a rate of 14% in rural areas. The enrollment rate in primary schools for girls was 64% in 1990 compared to 74% for boys. The gender disparity was even starker in secondary education, in which only 33% of enrolled students and 29% of graduates were girls. The number of children enrolled in primary school has almost doubled, from 8.9 million in 1985 to 16 million in 2005, with enrollments of girls now slightly exceeding those of boys. Despite all its tremendous success the dropout rate in female education is still one of the highest in relation to global scene.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Provides an overview of Bangladesh's macro-economic and educational progress, highlighting the challenges of poverty and high dropout rates despite successes in gender parity.
2. Statement of the Policy Problem: Explores the socio-economic factors behind low female enrollment and outlines the objectives of comparing the FSSP, FTBDP, and FFEP programs.
3. Data Presentation and Analysis: Analyzes enrollment and dropout data from 1994 to 2015 to evaluate the performance of the three selected education policy alternatives.
4. Major Findings and Policy Recommendations: Presents the final cost-effectiveness analysis results and suggests that the FFEP is the most efficient policy for maximizing student retention.
Keywords
Bangladesh, Secondary Education, Female Stipend Program, FSSP, Cost-effectiveness Analysis, Enrollment, Dropout Rate, Education Policy, Food for Education Program, FFEP, Retention, Human Capital, Gender Parity, Socio-economic Development, Public Policy
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work examines the cost-effectiveness of three major education interventions in Bangladesh—FSSP, FTBDP, and FFEP—to identify the most efficient strategy for reducing female dropout rates.
What is the central research objective?
The main objective is to measure the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of these programs to provide policy recommendations for optimizing government education spending.
What methodology is employed in this study?
The study utilizes a document-based research approach and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) to evaluate policy alternatives using secondary data sources.
What are the main thematic areas covered?
The work covers education policy, gender parity in school enrollment, public resource allocation, and the comparative performance of stipend and food-based incentive programs.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body presents a detailed review of literature, the methodology for policy comparison, and a comprehensive analysis of enrollment and retention data spanning from 1994 to 2015.
Which criteria characterize this study?
Key characteristics include a focus on "status quo" policy (FSSP), comparative analysis, resource-to-benefit ratios, and long-term sustainability in educational attainment.
Why is the status quo policy considered expensive?
The analysis indicates that the FSSP requires higher financial resources per retained student compared to the FFEP program.
What does the author suggest regarding FFEP?
The author concludes that FFEP is the best policy option for the government, as it yields higher student retention and enrollment benefits at a lower unit cost compared to other alternatives.
- Citation du texte
- Md. Mizanur Rahman (Auteur), 2013, Female Secondary Stipend Program in Bangladesh: An Analysis of its Cost Effectiveness, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/210422
