NON FORMAL PRIMARY EDUCATION

THE CONTEXT OF YOUR INITIATIVE

Thanapara Swallows Development Society (TSDS) made a survey about Primary Education in rural area and found out that only 15% of children go to school and out of that number, 25% drop out.

The reasons why the children don’t attend schools differ?
– For most of them, it’s difficult to reach the school because of long distances from home and due to bad conditions during the monsoon season.
– Their families consider education is not an interesting matter for them.
– Children find that normal school is boring (it’s only teaching, teaching, teaching).

To change this situation, TSDS together with an international non-governmental organization called BRAC (Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) started Non Formal Primary Education to provide education to rural disadvantaged children who do not go to school or drop out from the school during the first year. Schools are built in remote areas to ensure school attendance of all children in the district.

THE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT AS PART OF YOUR INITIATIVE

Bangladesh has an Education Board which is at central level in Dhaka with sub offices in Districts, and this Education Board controls the Education system. Educational institutes can be governmental, non-governmental, private and self-administrated, but all institutes must register under the Education Board Bangladesh and follow its decisions.

TSDS has two different classes:
– the Beginners (15 schools, 30 children each, total 450 children) : this is one year education ;
– the Primary (28 schools, 29 students each, total 812 students) : this is 3 years primary education course.

School runs 6 days a week (every day except Friday) from 8:00 am to 12:30 am. The children follow the normal curriculum, and learn four main subjects: Bangla, English, Mathematics and General Science.

Then 15 minutes are dedicated to cultural activities (songs, dances, games…) and teachers help the children to perform. These activities make children more interested to come to school.

Children come from around one kilometer away from each school. Teachers also come either from the same village or from within one kilometer far from the school.

The teachers receive a training from BRAC and TSDS on how to teach to interest children, and how to help them perform cultural activities.

One day per month, teachers come to Thanapara Swallows for an orientation meeting. All teachers report what they have taught and get education plan for next month.

TSDS has 3 program organizers: they are the supervisors for the teachers, they contact them during the orientation meetings and monthly they visit the school to see how they are running as planned and if teachers need any support.

There are two different examinations:
– TSDS prepares questions and takes examinations every two months, when one chapter is finished. It’s like a rehearsal.
– The Government prepares questions and takes examination 3 times a year, in March, June and November.

WHO IS INVOLVED FROM OUR GROUP?

Raihan ALI is the main supervisor
+ 1 additional supervisor
+ 3 coordinators
+ 43 teachers

WHICH PARTNERS ARE YOU WORKING WITH ON THIS INITIATIVE?

FUTURE PROSPECTS

This year, first Government examinations took place and our 1262 students attended. Here are the results:
A+ : 1108 students
A : 129 students
A- : 25 students

Today, we have no more dropout children, and parents changed their minds too about education. Now parents are interested to send their children to school, they come to us and ask us to take their children in our schools.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO ADD ANY INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR INITIATIVE?

WHAT ARE YOUR PROSPECTS?