BRAC
and the Norwegian Government enter into multi-million Kroner agreement
on education
BRAC, one of the largest NGOs of the world
and the Government of the Kingdom of Norway entered into a 100
million NOK (Norwegian Kroner) [around 1000 million Taka] agreement
to make a significant contribution to the achievement of education
for all in Bangladesh. An agreement to this accord was signed
between H.E. Ms Aud Lise Norheim, Ambassador, The Royal Norwegian
Embassy and Mr. Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, Executive Director, BRAC,
in a simple ceremony held at the BRAC Centre in Dhaka on April
24, 2006.The Executive Director, BRAC thanked the Ambassador for
their cooperation in extending their support to BRAC’s programmes
and was assured by the Ambassador “Norwegian cooperation
has grown and will continue to do so”. The ceremony was
attended by Ms Inger Sangnez, First Secretary, Royal Norwegian
Embassy Dr Shafiqul Islam, Programme Head, BRAC Education Programme,
Shib Narayan Kairy, Head of Finance and Accounts, BRAC and Tasfiyah
Jalil, Communications Officer, BRAC.
The agreement covers the BRAC Education
Programme over a course of 5 years which began in June 2004 to
expand reach of BRAC’s Education Programme in Bangladesh.
The project, jointly funded by CIDA, DFID, NOVIB and the Royal
Netherlands Embassy, is now in Phase IV and will be completed
in December 2009. Previously also, in June 2004, BRAC received
30 million NOK (around 300 million Taka) from the Norwegian Government
for this programme. Through this agreement cost-effective and
quality education will be provided to out-of-school poor children,
of whom more than 64% will be girls and particularly children
living in remote areas or with special needs or ethnic minorities.
For the purpose, capacity building training will be given to BRAC
teachers, 98% of whom are women. It is expected 1,104140 students
will graduate from the BRAC Primary School and get transferred
to formal schools. Around 855,500 drop-out/non-enrolled children
from poor families across the country will be provided with primary
education through 18,500 BRAC Primary Schools, 5,350 BRAC Adolescent
Primary Schools and 5,500 Education Support Programme schools,
for a total of 28,500 new schools. An additional 29,000 Children
With Disabilities (CWD) will be enrolled into BRAC Schools and
benefited through the provision of assistive devices. Cooperation
with local NGOs will be extended to reach remote areas through
2,500 schools for providing education to 60,000 ethnic students.
6,000 Kishori Kendros (Adolescent Centres) will be operated over
the 5-year period giving access to life-skills courses and continuing
education opportunities to 2,23,750 adolescents, most of whom
are girls. A further 1700 secondary schools will be covered under
the Post Primary Basic Education component to improve their management
and provide Head Teachers, subject teachers and School Management
Committee (SMC) members with the appropriate in-service or management
training. The Continuing Education component of BRAC’s Education
programme will enhance facilities and equipment in 1700 schools
and equip 2,130 existing Gonokendros (Community Libraries) with
Information Technology services with funding from this agreement.
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