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Education Sector LESSONS
LEARNED

such as the UN’s Education for All (EFA) and much speed after the enactment of the Compulsory Primary has declined sharply from the year 2016, it
Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Education Law of 1990. Measures such as satellite schools, nevertheless continues to rise. A critical
In 1971, the overall literacy rate stood at a community-based education and Food for Education were element for the success of adult literacy rates,
mere 17.6%. In 2020, it was 74.7%. How did a carried out across the country. The Female Secondary School both rural and urban, has been the rise of
small country like Bangladesh, riddled with Assistance Program (FSSAP) which was initiated in 1994 by tertiary and nonformal education in the
political crises and economic and climatic the Government of Bangladesh, with support from country. At the time of independence,
turbulence win this war against illiteracy in a development partners like the Asian Development Bank, has Bangladesh had only 6 universities. The
little less than 50 years? Multiple factors also superbly achieved its goal of increasing secondary school country now boasts 44 government, 101
helped push the country forward with its enrollment for females and discouraging child or early private and 3 international universities, as
goals of poverty eradication, of which marriages. The program is essentially a conditional cash per the most recent data. Students have a
eliminating illiteracy was a big part. transfer agreement- if a girl enrolls in secondary education, choice in pursuing their desired professions
Bangladesh had about 50% of its population maintains attendance records at 75% or more, achieves a such as chartered accountancy, engineering,
within working age in 1975. In order to certain academic score (45% or more in class tests) and technology, agriculture and medicine, at are already offering quality formal education.
leverage this strength and root out poverty, remains unmarried until the end of her secondary school institutions of their choice. The vocational training structure is new and like everything
Bangladesh needed to educate its youth certificate examination, a certain stipend is transferred to her. Non Formal education, driven largely by the new, would take time to settle into itself. Although all non
population. And so, it set the wheels in The program also had an ulterior motive- eradicating gender government to eradicate illiteracy formal education activities were carried out to the T in 2019,
motion right after independence. The results disparity in education. In 1991, the adult literacy rate for post-independence, was a 5-year step by step with the government already having enrolled 2.3 million
were bright and shining- by 1981, Bangladesh females was only at 26% versus 44% in men. The program had program. Besides NGO based community adults in 134 sub-districts and planning to enroll another 2.1
had pulled up its adult literacy rate to 29.2%. a striking range of positive outcomes both in short and long learning centres and clubs, it includes million in 116 more sub districts, COVID--19 has presented
Once here, the country never looked back. run, and not just directly impacting education but a host of vocational and technical institutes that the itself as a big threat, bringing halts and pauses to the
A key contributor to this successful rise in the other areas of concern in Bangladesh. In the short run, the government of this country has put special education system as a whole. The government has already
adult (and later primary and secondary) program not only encouraged females to join secondary school emphasis on ever since its new National implemented programs to educate 5 million adults through
literacy rate is the Bangladesh Rural but also males, through the sibling spillover benefits. In the Education Policy 2010. Bangladesh has learning centres across the country, the basic literacy program
Advancement Committee (BRAC), an NGO long run, it managed to reduce the gender disparity in school always had a robust youth population aimed to educate 4.5 million adults between 15 and 45 years
formed primarily to resettle war refugees into enrollment by a stunning number- in 1998, male enrollment (between 10-24 years) and the country knew and another 1 million former dropouts throughout the country,
the country. The NGO has been central to the was at 43% while the female enrollment rate had shot up to how critical it was to their overall goals, to by Mujib year 2020. However, ever since March 2020,
Bangladesh Government’s Education for All 41%! The figure as of 2018 stands at 61% for males and 72% turn these children into the human capital for educational institutions have remained closed. For over a year
(EFA) initiative by setting in motion an for women. It ended up delaying marriages, increased the future. Bangladesh’s answer to this was and a half, institutions have coped through online education
educational campaign in 1985, targeting employment opportunities for women, and even, increasing vocational and training institutes. According where they could but rural institutions have not been able to
gender inequality at school level and ensuring female child preference. ”Bangladesh has gained global to the Bangladesh Bureau of Educational take advantage of online teaching structures due to a lack of
education for the needy, unemployed, recognition for its continuing focus on girls’ education Information and Statistics, upwards of resources. While the country struggles to hold on to its
minority and other disadvantaged groups of resulting in “gender parity” at primary and secondary levels. 200,000 children are enrolled in vocational economy, and the working population to their jobs, experts
people. For instance, floating schools were Since the take over by “elected” government in the early 90s SSC at almost 3000 general schools and more fear that education would topple down the students’ list of
one initiative taken by BRAC in order to with female heads of the ruling party and their “positive than 10,00,000 were enrolled in 16 different priorities post pandemic, slowing down the literacy rate.
provide learning opportunities to vulnerable discrimination policy” in favour of girls with stipends, fee types of technical and vocational institutes in Joint effort from the government, community initiatives and
people in remote areas. Most recently, BRAC’s waivers and free textbooks for all, Bangladesh has managed to 2018. Currently Bangladesh has a youth involvement of NGOs has collectively made commendable
education program (BEP) has seen about 14 get more girls and also more female teachers in education population of about 30%. In order for the success possible. More progress will be made if the country
million children graduate from its schools and institutions.” - Rasheda K Choudhury- Executive Director, country to be able to convert all that into can resolve issues such as escalating education programs in
has had its learning models replicated by Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE), Member Secretary, human capital, they must invest in some areas, battling corruption in the sector, ensuring quality
governments around the world. The country’s Education Watch and Former Adviser, Caretaker Government of alternative forms of education in order to and equality and eliminating discrimination across all levels
largest non-formal approach to primary Bangladesh in 2008." A survey showed benefits of the stipend build specific skill sets across all industries of of education. The above is especially important for tertiary
paved with hurdles, but the country has crossed education and various formal programs for program outweigh the costs by 200%. It has proved to be a the country. In order to do so, the government education as universities grapple with issues such as lack of
each one with grace and made laudable success overall education through BRAC has managed “win-win” for individual families and the society at large. is planning to introduce vocational SSC at seats and lack of research and facilities for existing students.
in sectors such as primary school enrollment, to tilt the gender parity balance on the side of Ongoing government projects to encourage the education of 640 more madrasas and schools, by funding Tertiary education has the biggest role to play if the country
especially for the female population and tertiary women, with currently around 55% of its children in Bangladesh comprise compulsory primary them and providing them human resources if wants to produce the best human resource that will pull the
Bangladesh- a land won through blood and sweat, and education. students being females. Largely thanks to education for all, free education for girls up to grade 10, they willingly come forward to accept this country out of poverty and it is therefore crucial that emphasis
sheer determination. On the 14th of December, 1971, also Education in Bangladesh is overseen by the BRAC, Bangladesh is on track with 5 out of 8 stipends for female students, a nationwide integrated alternative form of education. While be given to capacity building in universities, maybe through
known as Martyred Intellectuals Day, hundreds of Ministry of Education, currently headed by Dr. Millennium Development Goals, out of which education system and a food for education program. The vocational training for the engineering, collaboration with universities of developed countries.
intellectuals of the country were brutally murdered to Dipu Moni, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, two- primary school enrollment and gender efforts have paid off and Bangladesh’s education system has agricultural and medical sectors are already COVID-19 is an unprecedented challenge and has been so for
make sure that the country was crippled for years to Bangladesh. A branch of the above, Ministry of parity in primary education- are directly paced ahead in leaps and bounds. As of now, national in place, there is room for still more, in many countries around the world, not only Bangladesh. If the
come. Almost 50 years later, the net enrollment rate in Primary and Mass Education takes charge of related to education. Figures report that in curriculum books from class 5 to class 12 are handed out free sectors such as garments, IT and teaching country can hold onto its current rate of progress or be able to
primary education has reached 95.5% in 2020. This primary education in the country and maintains 2014, the pass rate for primary school of charge among students and schools. sectors. Bangladesh also needs to raise the mitigate the damage done due to this pandemic in the post
millennium has also seen a jump in the adult literacy that all children receive state funded and examinations out of almost 50,000 students After the first decade post war, adult literacy rate for acceptability of vocational degrees in pandemic era, it is projected that illiteracy in the country will
rate from 46% in 2001 to a whopping 73% in 2018. Even compulsory primary and secondary education, was an outstanding 99.9% and almost 61.7% Bangladesh was a steady climb with few hiccups along the universities and devise alternative vocational fall below 10% by 2050, ensuring a much brighter future for
rural literacy among adults stands at 67.3% for both thus keeping true to Article 17 of its constitution of these students were female. way. The years 2007 and 2012 saw minor falls but then the skills-based curriculum for universities which all its citizens.
genders. Bangladesh’s road to success may have been and education related international declarations Primary education in Bangladesh gathered graph gained momentum fast. Although the rate of increase

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