Fragmented teacher preparation pathways, weak and low-impact in-service training, prolonged recruitment delays, and the absence of professional standards emerged as some of the most urgent barriers to strengthening teacher capacity in Bangladesh. Organized by the Institute of Informatics and Development (IID), the Policy Breakfast on Strengthening Teacher Capacity for Sustainable Education Outcomes unpacked these challenges, with participants also emphasizing the need for teacher licensing, stronger mentoring and supervision, and better alignment between tech-driven learners and largely analogue teacher development systems.
With over 400,000 teachers serving nearly 32 million students, overcrowded classrooms, weak pre-service preparation, and low-impact in-service training continue to limit teaching quality. Teachers face low pay, heavy administrative workloads, limited professional autonomy, and minimal recognition. Global evidence from OECD, UNESCO, and the World Bank shows that teacher professionalism and continuous development are key to stronger learning outcomes. Yet Bangladesh still faces major gaps in capacity, motivation, and support, making it essential to convene stakeholders to examine these challenges and identify coordinated strategies to strengthen teacher capacity.
Policy Breakfast 2025 was held on 15 November 2025 at Hotel Bengal Blueberry in Dhaka. Organized by the Institute of Informatics and Development (IID) and the GPE KIX–EMAP National Steering Committee, the session followed the Chatham House Rule, allowing participants to speak candidly without attribution.
Policy Breakfast 2025 brought together policymakers, government officials, academics, teachers’ union representatives, development partners, and education specialists. Participants included members from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME), NAPE, NAEM, PTIs, UNESCO, UNICEF, the World Bank, public and private universities, and the teachers’ association. The session was jointly moderated by Syeed Ahamed, CEO, Institute of Informatics and Development (IID) and Dr. Sumera Ahsan, KIX National Coordinator for Bangladesh and Professor at IER, University of Dhaka.
Participants opened the discussion by highlighting the fragmented teacher preparation system, where pre-service education, recruitment, and career progression often operate in isolation. They also raised concerns about ineffective in-service training, lack of mentoring, vacancies in supervisory roles, limited field-level monitoring, and the absence of professional standards or a licensing system for teachers. The urgency of long delays in teacher recruitment was highlighted, as slow procedures, legal disputes, and administrative bottlenecks keep posts vacant and overload existing teachers. The widening mismatch between tech-driven learners and traditional teacher training was also highlighted as a critical challenge.
The session created space for meaningful and evidence-based dialogue on teacher capacity. It opened significant advocacy opportunities to strengthen the teaching profession and promote continuous development across Bangladesh. As a key follow-up, IID and the GPE KIX–EMAP National Steering Committee will prepare a comprehensive policy brief to consolidate insights and recommendations, and guide coordinated advocacy at the government level.