Strengthening childcare services in Bangladesh: Building a skilled and certified workforce

In 2024, a study by ILO on childcare in Bangladesh reveals that, 54 per cent of working parents think that lack of accessible, affordable and quality childcare facilities is a major barrier for women to enter and remain in the workforce. Also,18 per cent of the parents reported having left jobs- at some point- due to their responsibilities of childcare. Supported by ILO, the Government of Bangladesh has launched a roadmap to develop childcare in Bangladesh – including governance reforms, expansion of infrastructure, improve accessibility and affordability via special measures, and enhance overall service quality through upskilling workers, including decent working conditions in childcare.

DHAKA (ILO news)- Accessible, affordable, and high-quality childcare services are vital for supporting working parents, enabling them to balance their professional and family responsibilities. Gender-responsive childcare services are especially critical in helping women enter and remain in the workforce, fostering economic participation and social inclusion.

In Bangladesh, the government has provided affordable childcare services through 63 daycare centres nationwide, operated by the Department of Women Affairs (DWA) under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA). Since the early 1990s, these centres have offered early learning opportunities, basic healthcare, and nutritious meals for children aged 0-6 years at a subsidized cost of up to BDT 500 per month.

ILO and Government officials receive a warm welcome from children and staff at the childcare facilities

To further strengthen the childcare sector, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is supporting the Government of Bangladesh in developing the national care economy. As part of this initiative, ILO is providing technical assistance to the DWA by upskilling and certifying childcare centre managers and teachers. This effort, carried out in collaboration with the Bangladesh Technical Education Board (BTEB) under the Directorate of Technical Education, Ministry of Education, aims to enhance the overall quality of childcare services.

On 5 February, Ms. Keya Khan, Director General of the DWA, and Mr. Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director of ILO Bangladesh, visited the Bharasa Institute training centre and the Mirpur day-care centre in Dhaka. Under ILO’s partnership with BTEB, supported by Global Affairs Canada, a customized training program was developed to professionalize childcare services and promote early childhood education as a skilled occupation.

Mr Tuomo Poutiainen, ILO Country Director for Bangladesh, emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “Investing in a skilled and certified childcare workforce is imperative for improving services and for recognizing the value of care work, creating decent jobs, and enabling more women to participate in the economy. This initiative will help build a more inclusive and sustainable care economy in Bangladesh.”

The training programme is designed to recognize and formalize the expertise of existing childcare professionals, aligning their skills with the Bangladesh National Qualifications Framework (BNQF). A total of 100 childcare officials are being trained and certified under this initiative. 

Ms Keya Khan, Director General, Department of Women Affairs stated ‘’The Department of Women Affairs is committed to providing quality childcare services that working parents can completely rely on. This training support from ILO is the first step towards standardising, assessing and certifying the quality of the services across our childcare centres.”

ILO Country Director Tuomo Poutiainen and DWA Director General Keya Khan visit a childcare training institute to support the professionalization of childcare services in Bangladesh

By developing a skilled and certified workforce, this initiative contributes to modernizing the care sector in Bangladesh. It also supports the establishment of standardized employment conditions, including regulated working hours, improved health and safety measures for children and staff, and enhanced employment benefits and wages for childcare professionals.

Through these efforts, ILO continues to work towards strengthening the care economy and ensuring sustainable, high-quality childcare services for working families in Bangladesh.