Bangladesh is currently suffering from a number of debilitating weaknesses in its education system. Seventy percent of all children are enrolled in primary school, but 75% of these children do not reach grade five. Futhermore, with absentee rates of 50% for both students and teachers, it is estimated that 35% of children who attend school are receiving no education, and 35% more are receiving less than 500 hours of instruction. The government of Bangladesh, the World Bank, NGO's and other donors, are working to address the access, quality, equity, and efficiency problems that plague the primary school system, but the needs of the over 34,000,000 illiterate people between the ages of 11 and 35 must be addressed. To this the government has proposed a set of five target programs for different groups. For instance, the program for 7-10 year olds would provide a two- to three-year course that would focus on basic education. These plans cannot be implemented without the help of outside groups offering funding and recommendations. (NK)