BRAC Education: A Revolutionary Scheme

In last two decades, Bangladesh have been reached a tremendous movement in socio-economic advancement especially in education sector through supports and initiatives of development partners, NGOs and policies and programmes of govt, nevertheless poor infrastructure, high dropout rates, inequality to female education , lack of universal access and other factors are making obstacle to sustainability in mass and primary education system. BRAC, the largest non-govt organization began journey in 1972 to revitalize and revolutionize social and economical status of post- independence Bangladesh. By this following BRAC education programme started in 1973. The object of the BRAC Education Programme is to ensure quality education and achieve the campaign education for all. It’s education programme has diversified schemes, emphasizing pre-primary education, primary education, adolescent programme, community development projects and female education.

BRAC initiated pre-school intervention in 1997 as a pilot project with 40 schools to supply educational opportunities to poor children who are incapable to acquire quality education and prepare for formal education. About 2.29 million children have been got pre-primary education through the BRAC, while 99% completing the course and moving to primary schools. The primary education programme had extended to more than 30,000 primary schools making available the full primary education in four years with 2003. Furthermore, 1,415 BRAC primary schools are conducting in urban areas with 47,539 students and 2,250 ethnic schools are operating with 57,645 students in remote areas. It has also been in service 36 clusters schools in Dhaka on a tentative basis to having room for children from the slums dwellers and urban poor. 3.80 million Children have graduated from primary schools and completion rate of 93%. In 2003, it commenced a special unit to provide education to disable children and side by side build social awareness among guardians and civil society. BRAC had provided access to school and services to 28,144 children with individual care by 2007. In 2001, it took a revolutionary programme to ensure quality education to minority groups and tribal community by establishing a unit to focus on the educational rights. Presently, it has 2,250 of specialized primary schools with 57,000 students in hilly regions and remote areas of Bangladesh.

In 1998, BRAC has taken schemes to recover some government community schools. At present, there are around 10,000 children in the community and formal schools. Corporation with Mainstream Primary Schools is another important milestone to BRAC education programme .Over the last two to three years, 934 Mathematics, 926 English and 993 head teachers have been trained through BRAC along with a special course is also designed for teachers who had no professional training. BRAC has been functioning the rural secondary schools throughout its Post-primary Basic and Continuing Education (PACE) programme. PACE initiated a secondary school teacher training programme in 2002 to transport a tremendous change in teaching and learning in secondary schools cooperation with govt. By December 2007, 2,044 schools were participating in our programme. BRAC's new Chhatra Bandhu programme brings in volunteering in education to give assistance to poor children.. Most rural students are very underprivileged and cannot manage to pay for to go to a private tutor. In this consequence, they hang about on weakness in English, mathematics and science.

The Continuing Education Programme (CE) launched in 1995 by including Gonokendros (union libraries) in rural areas to facilitate literacy skills and reading practice for children, students and adults. In order to promote graduates of BRAC schools who do not practice secondary education, The Adolescent Development Programme (ADP) was established. Kishori Clubs (Adolescent Centres) is project under The Adolescent Development Programme (ADP) where adolescent people can educate , socialize, take part in different extra-curriculum activities along with cooperate in social awareness programmes. It’s spotlight on providing members of the adolescent centres with informal education and possessions to make powerful economically and socially .It’s prime vision to make leadership skills, consciousness and responsibility to the society and overall the country.

Interview with Dr. Safiqul Islam, Director BRAC Education Programme

When and how did the education programme of BRAC start?
Dr.Safiqul Islam: It started in 1973, a few months after BRAC started its operation in 1972. It made a strategic shift from adult education to non-formal/second chance primary education in 1985 in order to address the country's needs better.

Education is way of development and rural development. Is BRAC education programme are concerned with these ideologies? Are the programs carrying out to other countries especially Africa and Asia?
Dr.Safiqul Islam: BRAC considers education as a fundamental to development. Education to us is a matter of quality education; it has to be relevant to the country as well as learners wider environment. It has to prepare one with skills and competence that are essential for right value, attitude, creativity, and livelihood improvement and coping with changes. It is equalizing and emancipating. BRAC believes that investment in education is worthy and it can bring changes in one's life within a generation. BRAC is an advocate of education and yes it operates education programmes in most other African and Asian countries where it is active.

Would you please explain the education progmme of your organization? Is it emphasizing on primary education and whether it has programmes on adolescent education programme or female education?
Dr.Safiqul Islam :As indicated, BRAC has been operating second chance non-formal primary education programme since the middle of 1980s. The 1 room, 1 teacher,30-33 students aged 9-14 years in a school, at least 2/3 girls and all students represent economically poor households, are among the key features of BRAC primary schools. In the past we operated schools for 2different age groups of students, 8 to 10 years and 11 to 14 years. Schools for the younger age group were known as non-formal primary and older age group as schools for adolescents .Meanwhile, the situation particularly regarding girls enrollment has improved in Bangladesh as result of country's appropriate policy, programmes and collective efforts. From this year, we thus decided to have a single age-group as target population, aged 9 to 14 years. However, there can be made exceptions if the situation demands. Our strategy is inclusive and the mandate is to serve the un-served, particularly girls, ethnic children, children in remote/difficult locations.

4.Star Campus: Would you please explain about the curriculum and syllabus?
Dr.Safiqul Islam : We follow the national curriculum in terms of guidelines and competencies and NCTB textbooks in grades 4 and 5. BRAC school students complete primary education cycle in 4 calendar years and the syllabus is adjusted accordingly. Since majority of BRAC school students are among the first generation learners who would not be receiving parental support at home for home work, we thus prepare workbook-based-learning materials for them in grades 1 through 3 and from grade 4 they use the NCTB materials.
English and computer studies are basic components on contemporary education system.
What are the status of Brac education project to English education and computer literacy?
Dr.Safiqul Islam : English in Brac schools is included from grade one and continued through grade five. BRAC considers computer, or for that matter integrating technology in the teaching learning process, important for appropriately pre-paring students for life. However, with computer, we are working now at the secondary level. BRAC has developed 2 software based on national curriculum, from grades 6 through 10. These are on Mathematics and English. The works on Science is also progressing well and hope to release shortly. Teachers of selected secondary schools are being prepared on computer skills appropriately so that they can use the soft wares in the classroom. These works are in an early stage now. In addition to that, BRAC creates access to computer literacy to primary and secondary schoolchildren and other segments of population through its Gonokendros, operated across the country. Limited accesses are also being created to adolescents through our Adolescent Development Progrmme.

.Have your organization any particular education policy? Is vocational training introduced in programme?
Dr.Safiqul Islam : Vocational training is not a component of our education programme as yet, however, we value such training. Brac supplements the govt efforts in achieving education MDG and EFA goals in the country. BRAC also operates pre-primary schools to support the government in preparing children from non-literate families for schooling so that they are not dropped out from formal schools .We consider human resources development is fundamental to Bangladesh. The policy is to provide the children of the poor, largely girls, ethnic minorities, children with disabilities with a good quality education and focusing in remote and difficult locations.