Every morning, millions of Bangladeshi children walk into schools carrying more than books — they bring curiosity, imagination, and an innate desire to move, sing, and explore. Yet too often, the system they step into signals that only reading, writing, and arithmetic matter. The recent removal of dedicated music and physical education (PE) teachers from government primary schools is a stark reminder of this.
In August 2025, the government made a historic move: For the first time, more than 5,000 new positions for music and PE teachers were announced — offering hope that children’s holistic growth would finally be recognized.
That hope, however, was short-lived. As reported by official government sources, the posts, announced just months ago — have now been scrapped.
Why music and movement matter
From an early childhood development perspective, sidelining music, movement, and play is deeply troubling. These are not optional extras but fundamental to how young minds and bodies grow, learn, and connect.
Long before children master letters or numbers, they learn through rhythm and play. Singing builds pattern recognition, expression, and confidence; games nurture empathy, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Unicef emphasizes that play and movement drive brain development and emotional resilience. BRAC Institute of Educational Development has long championed integrating arts and play into early education. Unesco reinforces this: Arts education fosters creativity and social-emotional skills, while quality physical education supports well-being and resilience — both vital for inclusive, quality learning.
The silent message to children
What message do we send to children who don’t fit the mold? The child who struggles to sit still, whose gifts lie in rhythm or sport, who speaks through movement — these children hear a silent verdict: You don’t belong.
This is ironic in a culture rooted in music, rhythm, and storytelling — from lullabies to the beat of the dhol at village festivals. Yet schools erase these experiences. In rural classrooms where resources are already stretched thin, the arts often offer the only avenue for self-expression. Physical education offers something equally vital: Freedom of movement and confidence — especially for girls.
The classroom is the stage where society decides what it values most in its children. If we prioritize test scores over creativity, memorization over imagination, and desk-bound instruction over play, we send a chilling message: Children’s minds and bodies are secondary. It tells teachers that nurturing joy is optional and dismisses the diversity of human potential.
A policy misstep or social injustice?
Denying these opportunities is not just a policy misstep — it is a social injustice that hits the most vulnerable the hardest. It is also a reminder of how educational priorities can shift with political convenience rather than child development.
Perhaps most troubling is how easily children’s education becomes a pawn in political battles. Are policies serving fleeting interests or the lifelong development of every child? Children do not belong to any political ideology; they belong to the future. Every song they sing, every step in play, every spark they nurture is an investment in the nation — an investment no party should compromise.
The false choice
Some argue that academics must take priority, or that budget constraints justify the removal. This is a false choice. Global evidence shows children engaged in music and PE perform better academically and develop stronger social, emotional, and cognitive skills. Yet these subjects are the first to be sacrificed when budgets shrink — reducing education to rote memorization and mechanical regurgitation.
The context in Bangladesh adds urgency. Many children have limited access to safe outdoor spaces or extracurricular opportunities. For millions, school is the only structured place where they might experience music, movement, and play. Denying them these opportunities is not just shortsighted — it is unjust.
The way forward
The solution is clear: Music and physical education must be treated as core parts of learning, not expendable extras. Policy-makers should guarantee these subjects a permanent place in the curriculum, shielded from political whims and short-term interests.
Recruitment must be professional, with proper training and accountability. Parents, educators, and communities have a role too — advocating for holistic education and showing that arts and movement amplify academic success, not compete with it.
Scrapping these positions does more than cut jobs — it cuts possibilities. It signals that imagination and movement are luxuries, not essentials, and narrows what childhood should be. This is more than an administrative reversal but a challenge to every adult in Bangladesh: What kind of future are we building? A generation of creative, confident learners — or one trained only to conform, knowing the cost of silencing curiosity and play?
The answer cannot be left to bureaucracy or ideology. It is up to all of us to insist that classrooms remain spaces for joy, creativity, and growth. Because when schools silence play, they do not just rob children of happiness — they rob the nation of its future.
Sharika Tafannum is a development practitioner and proud mother of two. She is passionate about early childhood development, emotional well-being, and reshaping systems to be more human-centred, both in policy and practice. Connect at [email protected].
