Teacher absenteeism, large class size, and performance pressure: Barriers to student well-being at secondary schools in Bangladesh

The growing importance of enhancing student well-being experiences at school is increasingly receiving attention globally. This paper presents findings from a qualitative study among 40 secondary school students from Bangladesh to understand the barriers to their well-being experiences at school. Data were collected through One-on-one and focus group interviews with students from both urban and rural areas. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, the authors found three barriers: (i) Teacher absenteeism, (ii) large class size, and (iii) performance pressure that prevents students from experiencing well-being at school. The identified barriers have been discussed by looking at student experiences within the sociocultural context of a country from the Global South, such as Bangladesh. The study findings have implications for improving the current school practices and educational policies in Bangladesh and promoting student well-being experiences. The study recommends developing a well-functioning performance monitoring system and introducing performance bonuses for teachers. Besides recruiting new teachers, it is suggested to ensure the need-based distribution of teachers. Reducing the high-stakes summative exams and increasing the formative assessment is also recommended to make a shift from an assessment-centric to a learner-centric education system.