Lesson 2/34 min
Levels of education and the administration
Levels of education and age
| Level | Classes | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | 1–5 | 6–10 |
| Lower secondary | 6–8 | 11–13 |
| Secondary | 9–10 | 14–15 |
| Higher secondary | 11–12 | 16–17 |
| Higher education | Bachelor's, master's, Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) | 17+ |
Main education bodies and offices
| Body | Founded / location | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) | 1981; head: Director General | Implements primary education; recruits government primary teachers |
| National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE) | Mymensingh; founded 1978; autonomous from 1 October 2004 | Training of primary teachers |
| NAEM (National Academy for Educational Management) | Dhaka; 1959; head: DG | Foundation training of the BCS (General Education) cadre |
| University Grants Commission (UGC) | Dhaka (Agargaon); 16 December 1972 | Highest regulator of public and private universities and mediator between government and universities; members are appointed by the education minister |
| BANBEIS (Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics) | Dhaka (Nilkhet); 1977 | Keeps and publishes education statistics |
| NCTB | — | National Curriculum and Text Book Board |
Watch out: Khandokar prints 1969 for NAPE; Zubair and other sources give 1978. The autonomy date, 1 October 2004, is not in dispute.
Watch out: The book names Professor Dr. Kazi Shahidullah as the current UGC chairman, which is out of date. In March 2026 Professor Mamun Ahmed (a Dhaka University pro-VC) took charge as the 15th UGC chairman. Office-holders change, so check before an exam.
Did you know?: ‘Kindergarten’ is a German word meaning a garden of children. It was coined by the German educator Friedrich Froebel.
Primary education: a few milestones
- Compulsory Primary Education law passed: 1990
- Introduced in 1992 in 68 upazilas; nationwide in 1993 (with Food for Education)
- Rule for hiring women teachers in government primary schools: 60%
Check yourself
When was the UGC founded, and where is its head office?
At a glance
- 1
Primary is classes 1–5 (age 6–10); lower secondary 6–8; secondary 9–10; higher secondary 11–12.
- 2
The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), 1981, is headed by a Director General and recruits government primary teachers.
- 3
NAPE is in Mymensingh and has been autonomous since 1 October 2004. NAEM is in Dhaka, founded 1959.
- 4
The UGC was founded on 16 December 1972; head office at Agargaon, Dhaka.
- 5
BANBEIS, 1977, Dhaka; NCTB = National Curriculum and Text Book Board.
- 6
The Compulsory Primary Education law was passed in 1990; it covered the whole country from 1993.