Safeguarding The Right To Secondary Education In Times Of Natural & Political Crisis: The Bangladesh Perspective
- IJLLR Journal
- Nov 10
- 2 min read
Razwan Ahamed, University of Asia Pacific
ABSTRACT
The right to secondary education constitutes a fundamental human right and a critical driver of socio-economic development, social mobility, and national progress. In Bangladesh, this right is constitutionally enshrined, reflecting the state’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education for all citizens. The paper critically examines the structural, political and administrative factors that threaten the safeguarding of secondary education in Bangladesh, with particular attention to the vulnerabilities exposed during crisis.
Methodologically, the study adopts a qualitative research design, drawing on extensive documentary analysis of scholarly articles, government reports, statistical data, and policy documents situated within the frameworks of education rights and human development. Thematic analysis is employed to interrogate the data, highlighting how inadequate infrastructure, insufficient budgetary allocations, weak crisis management mechanisms, and political interference, collectively impede the protection of secondary education during emergencies. The research situates these finding within a broader discourse of educational equity and human rights, emphasizing the disproportionate impact of crisis on marginalization populations and the widening urban-rural education divide.
The findings reveal that while Bangladesh has made progress in access and enrollment, the fragility of institutional structures and the absence of a crisis- contingency education policy severely limit resilience. These insights underscore the gap between constitutional ideals and policy realities—where systemic politicization and uneven resource distribution exacerbate educational inequality.
The finding indicates that natural disaster, such as floods and cyclones, combined with entrenched political instability and institutional politicization, constitute the primary obstacles to the continuity and quality of secondary education in Bangladesh. In essence, the research demonstrates that crises magnify pre-existing educational disparities, revealing deep- rooted structural weaknesses that hinder policy enforcement. The paper concludes that ensuring the resilience and protection of secondary education requires a comprehensive, crisis-responsive policy framework underpinned by increased government funding, robust institutional accountability, and the depoliticization of education spaces. By implementing such measures, Bangladesh can uphold its constitutional commitment to education and safeguard the transformative potential of secondary schooling as a vehicle for social and national development.
Keywords: Right to education, Secondary education, Human Rights, Education equity, political economy of education.
