A large number of secondary school students in Bangladesh lack basic mathematics skills, a gap that weakens their learning foundation and contributes to learning poverty over time.

Against this backdrop, a study was conducted to assess how effective technology-based learning can be in reducing students’ fear of mathematics. The findings were presented at a workshop held at the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) auditorium in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The research programme was implemented with support from the SAJIDA Foundation and at the initiative of Khan Academy Bangladesh. A pilot project was carried out in 31 secondary schools across four districts in the Dhaka division, with around 5,300 students taking part.

Director General of the National Academy of Educational Management (NAEM) Professor Dr Wasim Md Mejbahul Haque attended the programme as the chief guest.

He said the effective use of technology is now critical to improving the quality of education and that such initiatives can help reduce learning gaps and make classrooms more participatory.

The workshop was chaired by the Director of Planning and Development at DSHE, Professor Dr Mir Zahida Nazneen.

She said data-driven tools that help monitor student progress and support teachers are no longer optional, but essential. According to her, such platforms can bring meaningful change to the education system.

At the workshop, Chief Executive Officer of Khan Academy Bangladesh, Azwa Nayeem, said the platform is designed to allow students to learn at their own pace and to see mistakes as stepping stones rather than setbacks.

Professor Shah Shamim Ahmed of the Institute of Education and Research (IER) at the University of Dhaka, who conducted the study, presented the findings at the event.

He said regular use of the platform is helping students overcome their fear of mathematics and increasing their interest in learning. He added that the immediate feedback mechanism allows students to identify and correct mistakes in real time, which directly accelerates progress.

The study also found that the platform enables teachers to monitor the performance of individual students even in large classrooms.

Game-based elements such as badges, points, and achievement milestones were also found to significantly increase student engagement and motivation.

The event was attended by officials from government educational institutions, educators, researchers, and sector professionals.

Speakers at the workshop called for rapid scaling up of the initiative and stressed the importance of integrating ICT-based learning into mainstream education.

Director of Impact Investment and Partnerships at SAJIDA Foundation Muhymin Chowdhury said, “There are plans to expand the programme to at least 1,200 schools across Bangladesh by 2029, with the vision of ensuring a teacher-first technology partnership to end learning poverty in Bangladesh.”

DSHE Director (College and Administration) Professor Md Nazmul Haque, Director (Finance and Procurement) Professor Mohammad Monir Hossain Patwary, and Director (Training) Professor Md Anwar Hossain also spoke at the workshop.