Dhaka, Sept. 11 -- here is a paradox in Bangladesh's education landscape. Higher education has expanded considerably, yet 22 public universities reportedly still operate without permanent campuses. At the other end of the system, a literacy rate of 77.9 per cent indicates that a substantial share of the population remains outside the world of basic literacy. The contrast raises a larger question: are we building an education system or simply expanding the number of institutions? Educational progress should ultimately be judged not by how many institutions we establish, but by the human capability they create.

The Ladder and the Roof

Every strong education system begins with literacy and numeracy and progresses towards research, innovat...