Bangladesh will introduce artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning, and cybersecurity as priority subjects for grades six through ten starting next academic year. The curriculum overhaul, announced by Prime Minister's Education Adviser Mahdi Amin at the Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026, aims to build a technology-ready workforce and integrate technical education into the mainstream school system.
"From the next academic year, modern subjects such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, machine learning and cybersecurity are being given special priority in textbooks for grades six to ten," Amin said during a plenary session at Novo Theatre in Dhaka on September 12. "At the same time, technical education is being institutionally integrated with mainstream education and made compulsory for all students."
STEM priority across all education levels
Amin, who also serves as the Prime Minister's Office spokesperson, said the government is giving the highest priority to STEM education to keep pace with global technological shifts. The prime minister has issued direct instructions to apply this priority equally at secondary, higher secondary, and tertiary levels. The reforms address what officials described as a persistent gap between book-based learning and practical application, with changes underway at every stage from primary school through university.
At the primary level, two new subjects - Sports and Culture - will enter the fourth-grade curriculum next year. In sixth grade, a program called 'Learning with Happiness' will focus on interpersonal and transferable skills that students need outside the classroom. These additions sit alongside the more technical subjects being folded into the secondary syllabus.
Technical education becomes compulsory
Technical education is not currently mandatory for Bangladeshi students. That changes next academic year when it becomes a required component starting in sixth grade, with completion gradually becoming compulsory for all students through grade ten. Amin framed the shift as alignment with developed economies. "The government's objective is to integrate technical education with mainstream education, without treating it as a 'taboo', as in developed countries," he said.
The integration extends into higher education. Officials are examining how to weave technical and vocational training into the curricula of roughly 2,500 institutions affiliated with the National University. For educators navigating these shifts, resources on AI for Education provide context on how artificial intelligence is reshaping classroom practice across grade levels.
From brain drain to brain circulation
Amin acknowledged the international caliber of Bangladeshi youth but said the government wants to prevent talent loss. The strategy replaces the old pattern of brain drain with what he called "brain circulation." Plans include building an industry-academia ecosystem using endowment and CSR funds, modeled on practices at world-class universities, and drawing on the experience of Bangladeshi alumni. The government also intends to bring Bangladeshi experts working abroad into curriculum and industrial development through special fellowships.
The seminar, titled 'STEM for a Future-Ready Bangladesh: Building the Backbone of the Innovative Economy,' was moderated by Science and Technology Ministry Secretary Md Anwar Hossain. Panelists included National University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. ASM Amanullah, Unesco Dhaka Office Chief of Education S Kyung Ko, telecommunications executive Tanvir Mohammad, and Independent University, Bangladesh Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. M Tamim.
Why this matters for educators
These reforms will land in classrooms within months, not years. Teachers in grades six through ten will need to deliver instruction on AI, robotics, machine learning, and cybersecurity - subjects many have never taught. The simultaneous push to make technical education compulsory means schools must staff and resource entirely new practical modules. For teachers building their own understanding of these tools, the AI for Teachers learning path offers structured training designed specifically for classroom contexts. Curriculum planners and school leaders should begin mapping how these subjects fit into existing timetables and what professional development their staff will need before the new academic year begins.
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