Bangladesh: Education: Primary Schools

Why is this intervention?
Over the past twenty six years the number of BRAC primary schools has grown rapidly. We started work at this level in 1985 with the opening of 22 one-room schools providing three years of schooling up to Grade III, later it was extended to grade V. The main objective of non-formal primary schools is to develop a school model for the underprivileged / primary school drop out children, especially girls, to complete the 5 year primary school syllabus in 4 years.

BRAC also works with other development organisations to expand education opportunities of disadvantaged children through partnering with them and provide them with technical and financial support to implement BRAC’s Non-formal Primary Education model with adaptation as needed. This collaboration activities are called Education Support Programme, in short ESP.

Key feature

• The one teacher school is operated by the same teacher for the same cohort of children for the entire period of four years and delivers lessons in all subjects.
• The school timings are flexible and are fixed according to needs.
• Children do not have to pay any fees and there are no long holidays
• Little homework or no homework as most of their parents are not capable to assist them in study
• Children with Special Needs receive corrective surgeries along with devices like wheelchairs, hearing aids, glasses and ramps
• Ethnic children receive class lecture and course materials in their own languages up to grade two so that they can overcome language barriers and cultural gaps
• BRAC develops textbooks and other materials for up to Grade III and government textbooks are being used in Grades IV and V.
• Students are being taught about social values and their rights and responsibilities coupled with basic financial education to empower them.
• BRAC primary schools graduates are being tracked by BRAC for further study.

What's the linkage with Government schools?
Bangladesh Government has given the approval to BRAC Primary School students to appear for Shomaponi Examination which is a pivotal examination that occur at the end of the 5th grade class.

The effectiveness of this programme was recently on display when the graduates of the non-formal schools were well ahead of the country average when it came to passing grade for the primary school examination. At 97% success rate in 2009 whereas 99.54% stands in 2010, they were well ahead of their peers who completed formal school taking a year extra.

How do we ensure teacher's quality?
A typical BRAC teacher would be a female community member with 10 years of schooling. Teachers undergo an initial 12-day training course in order to repeat basic information on teaching and learning and to enhance their teaching abilities. They subsequently participate in monthly, subject-based refresher courses.

Read Stories:

Innovative steps towards Primary Education in haor area
Akhi studies hard to be a teacher.
Alam,a non-formal primary school student, now runs his own.

Related Videos:

Mitali Dango: BRAC School Teacher
BRAC Primary school students singing.