CORE PROGRAM:

EDUCATION

CORE PROGRAM/WORKING SECOTR

EDUCATION

Background of the Program:

UNNAYAN has been implementing several education programs both in urban and rural areas for the need of target groups in its intervention areas. The education program of UNNAYAN aims to provide and ensure quality education to the future generations. UNNAYAN also has been working with the vulnerable and disadvantaged children. In accordance with the UNCRC principles, UNNAYAN provides strong supports for their safety, education, food stuff, accommodation and medical treatment through different projects.

Major Objectives of the Program:

  • Ensure participation in identifying and assessing the needs of the vulnerable children;
  • Introduce and promote child/learner-centered and participatory methods of learning;
  • Increase attendance of students in the schools/education centers and encourage them to complete their education;
  • Extend non-formal primary education to the drop-out children;
  • Enable the children to establish their rights according to the principles of UNCRC;
  • Ensure congenial environment for the healthy growth of children.

Major Activities and Services

The important activities under Education Program of UNNAYAN include:

  • Afternoon Education Center
  • Scholarship for the Poor Meritorious Students 

Major Activities and Services (Details)

Afternoon Education Centre

The primary school dropout rate in rural Bangladesh continues to be significant and is still a barrier in attaining goals of education. Unfortunately, about 27 percent students of primary level are compelled to leave studies before completing grade five. The dropout victims are commonly from the poor families as their guardians being mostly illiterate are not conscious enough to support their kids to continue study. As a result, the students have a fear of school due to poor results. UNNAYAN has started afternoon education centre under ENRICH program with the objective to prevent the dropout of children from primary level education. Enhancing Resources and Increasing Capacities of Poor Households towards Elimination of their Poverty (ENRICH) is a specialized program of PKSF, which is being executed a wide range of diverse services for the development of human dignity.

Amongst all the services of ENRICH, education is a major component which aims at improving the standard of primary education and reducing the dropout rate of the educational institution. This unique educational program is directed towards the improvisation of child talent and currently being implemented in ENRICH enlisted Jalma of Batiaghata Union, Vhanderpara of Dumuria Union under Khulna District and Assasuni of Assasuni Union under Sathkira District. Afternoon education centers were established in each of these villages. UNNAYAN has been operating the centers with the financial support of PKSF. For each centre, a teacher is assigned who provides learning support to 20-30 students through holding a two-hour class/session every day over six days in a week. Most of the teachers are women.

128 Teachers are locally recruited. Anyone less than 35 years of age with a minimum of S.S.C level education is qualified to be a teacher; Students are aided to organize their daily lessons and homework assigned by the school teachers. These education centers take special care of students who are generally slow learners and need extra help and time to grasp material taught at school. In addition, in the center’s students get involved in extracurricular activities like, singing, dancing, recitation, storytelling, comics, acting. once in a week that help to build their level of confidence. This service is available for the students of nursery to class 2 from 3 pm to 5 pm.

These centers are to gradually accommodate students up to Class V. All the local students from government, non-government, registered and community schools are entitled to receive the educational facilities of ENRICH. A guardian committee including the parent of students was formed in each center.

ENIRCH recruited Social Development Workers carry out a monthly meeting with the guardian committee. These education centers play a crucial role in the education program by monitoring whether or not young children are being sent to school regularly to keep the dropout rates at minimum level. At present, 3159 students were enrolled in 128 afternoon education centers. Average presence/attendance of the students per month is about 98 percent.

Scholarship for the Poor Meritorious Students

Every year a good number of meritorious boys and girls in the rural Bangladesh are deprived of higher education. And thus, many of them are also compelled to discontinue their education half way through, for lack of money. Considering the problem, UNNAYAN with the support of Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and its own fund provides ‘Education Scholarship’ since 2018 to the meritorious children of the poor beneficiaries of the projects. It is a regular activity of UNNAYAN. The main purpose of this program is to provide financial support to the poor meritorious students towards continuing their studies.