The government is considering setting up two high schools in each of the 64 district towns across Bangladesh.

According to sources at the education ministry, on Jul 17, Minister Nurul Islam Nahid held a meeting of the heads of all the divisions over the upcoming Deputy Commissioners’ Conference slated from Jul 24 to 26.

The meeting discussed a similar proposal raised last year by the Cumilla deputy commissioner (DC). It agreed to gather inputs from DCs this year over the matter during the DCs conference.

“The matter has been discussed and it will be finalised during the DCs conference. It’s the education minister’s call as it’s a political issue,” Additional Secretary Aruna Biswas told Bangla Tribune.

Another ministry official echoed.

“The issue is on the cards. A deputy commissioner emphasised last year on a high school and a girls’ school in each district town. We have gone through the current situation in all the districts. It will be finalised during the DCs’ conference,” Joint Secretary Salma Jahan told Bangla Tribune.

According to figures by the education department, there were 335 public high schools and another 16,109 non-govt high schools in 2016 across Bangladesh. However, since then some more institutions have got academic recognition as well as some others are in the process.