Bangladesh to hold lotteries for all secondary school admissions

Aimed to reduce pressure on students and put an end to lobbying, the government has decided to expand the lottery system for admission to all secondary educational institutions.

Education Minister Dipu Moni announced the decision at the opening of digital lotteries for admission to the private secondary schools of Dhaka on Sunday.

Last year, lotteries were introduced for admission to the schools in metropolitan cities amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Dipu Moni said the system has been expanded to the district level this year. “All the institutions, including those at Upazila level, will be brought under the system.”

The move aims to stop unhealthy competition, which Dipu Moni called the “war of admission”. “It also becomes unethical when pressure is created through lobbying.”

The minister said she had been thinking about stopping the “negative” practice for a long time. “We would introduce the system even if there was no pandemic.”

She claimed the lottery system has restrained private coaching business to some extent as well.