Education System in Bangladesh

	Primary	Primary Education	1–5	6–10	5
	Secondary	Junior Secondary Education	6–8	11–13	3
	Secondary	Secondary Education	9–10	14–15	2	Includes Trace Certificate/SSC Vocational
	Secondary	Higher Secondary	11–12	16–17	2	Includes 2 years of 4 years Diploma in Engineering & Nursing, HSC Vocational
	Vocational	Diploma in Engineering			4	Not a Bachelor, similar to Associates
	Tertiary	Fazil	13–14		2	Similar to an Associates Degree
	Tertiary	Bachelor's			3–5
	Tertiary	Kamil	15–16		2	Similar to Bachelor's degree
	Tertiary	Bachelor (Engineering & Technology)	15–16		3	Engineering & Technology
	Tertiary	Master's			1–2
	Tertiary	Master of Philosophy			2
	Tertiary	Doctorate			3–5

Primary Education

The Bangladeshi education system is unusually complex in that primary, middle, senior and tertiary education are oriented towards general, madrasah (religious), or technical/vocational preferences Even private schools and universities are heavily subsidized – in fact the constitution decrees that children between ages 6 and 10 shall pay nothing. To complicate things further, local education is controlled by a hierarchy of school boards. The first phase, fully free primary school lasts for 5 years, typically between ages 6 and 10.

Middle Education

Pupils aged approximately 11 years of age enter junior secondary school. This is a critical phase in their young lives, for here they must confirm an educational choice that may dictate their futures irrevocably.

Secondary Education

Those who choose to complete the last 2 of their 10 school grades at general secondary schools may specialize in humanities, science, or commerce to mention but a few. At the end of this, they may write a secondary school certificate examination supervised by no less than 7 school boards. Alternatively, they may elect to follow the madrasah religious education route that culminates in a different series of similar-level tests.

Vocational Education

Other students switch across to vocational training institutes or technical training centers administered by the ministry of education and the ministry of labor and employment respectively. Choices here are between longer-term professional certification and shorter-term job-specific orientation.

Tertiary Education

Students who stay in either course have choices once again. These include writing their higher secondary education certificate after 2 more years at a technical/polytechnical institute where they hone their practical skills further.  Alternatively, they may enter one of many private or state-funded universities for 5 years of undergraduate study. 

Dhaka University was founded in 1921 as a statement of national identity. Many believe that without this oxford of the east the nation could hardly be independent and self-governing today.