Where We Work: Bangladesh: Education

Questions may arise that when the government of Bangladesh provides free basic education for all, what is the need for any other intervention.

However, a dropout rate of about half of those who enter class one by the time they reach class V and over 80% by the time they reach class X. Besides, a lot of these children come from poor rural families and are involved in income generating activities. The rigidity and inflexibility of the formal system has put education beyond the reach of these children.

Hence, BRAC tailored school hours according to the needs of the local children. The flexibility has been a driving force of success.

BRAC launched its education programme in 1985 with 22 one-room primary schools following non-formal approach. The goal of the BRAC Education Programme is to make a significant contribution to the achievement of education for all in Bangladesh.  

The BRAC Education Program is mainly focusing on to  -

• increase access of basic education in unreached and underserved population
• improve quality in formal education system
• support Governments to reach MDG goal- Education for All by 2015

It has mainly five units. They are –

1. Pre-primary Education,
2. Primary Education,
3. Support to Formal Schooling,
4. Adolescent Development
5. Multi-purpose Community Learning Centres

There are three more small units: Social and Financial Empowerment of Adolescents, Scholarship Programme (Medhabikash) & Aflatoun

Our carefully developed pre-primary and primary schools provide free education to children who are left out of the formal school system and, in particular, reach children who are from extremely poor families or ethnic minorities, living in remote areas or have special needs. Working with partner organizations we offer our guidance and technical support, to help schools replicate our successful primary education model in hard to reach areas, like the Chittagong hill tracts, haors, baors, chars and coastal areas.

In sheer size, BRAC operates the largest private school system in the world: 1.2 million students (70% of them are girls) are enrolled at present in 32,000 BRAC schools that provide four years of non formal primary education. So far, almost 5 million children have already graduated and got their basic education from these schools and close to 95% enrol to secondary schools. 

BRAC intervention is not limited to just primary schooling only. We also work with secondary schools to support government efforts in improving quality of secondary education, teaching quality and school management system.