Four school hours for 30 village children in Bangladesh

School education – it cannot be swept away by a flood

Right to Education in Bangladesh|Right to Education in Bangladesh

It is actually not far from the district capital of Rangpur. But the adventurous journey through villages and rice fields takes a long time. When they arrive at the banks of the Tiesta River, a crowd of people stands around a wooden barge, ready to board. The chugging of the engine drowns out all conversation. Goats, motorbikes and bags of cement are also transported across the fast, one-kilometre-wide river. Everyone gets out on the opposite sandy bank. Here, in the remote north of Bangladesh, on the river island of Ishorkul, people have lived for generations with the gifts and dangers that nature bestows on them. They love their homeland. But climate change is posing them with huge challenges. During the rainy season, the river swells, carrying land away in one place and depositing it in another. Now, for the first time, a primary school has been built on the alluvial island. Until now, only the rich villagers could afford schooling on the mainland. Less than 20% of adult men and women in the region can read and write.|The district capital Rangpur is not really far away, but the adventurous journey through villages and rice fields takes a long time. On the banks of the Tista River, people crowd around the wooden boat that is about to board. The roar of the engine drowns out all conversations. The ferry also transports goats, motorbikes and sacks of cement across the kilometer-wide river, where everyone disembarks on the sandy bank. Here, on the river island of Ishorkul in northern Bangladesh, people have lived with the riches and dangers of nature for generations. They love their homeland. But climate change is posing a major challenge. During the rainy season, river levels rise, causing land loss. Erosion. Now, for the first time, a primary school has been built on this alluvial island. The poorer villagers could not previously afford to attend school on the mainland. Less than 20% of men and women in the region can read or write.

need

Good education for children in northern Bangladesh.

activity

Local teachers teach 6 to 10 year old children with and without disabilities.

Measurable performance

16 teachers have participated in training courses and 480 children are learning reading, writing and arithmetic.

Result

480 children who were previously excluded from education are expected to take the primary school leaving examination.

Systemically relevant impact

Reducing the illiteracy rate among extremely disadvantaged children and breaking the vicious circle of lack of education and poverty

background

2.6 million children in Bangladesh do not have access to primary education (UNICEF, 2014). The actual number is likely to be much higher, as many children are officially enrolled in a state school but do not attend classes. Children from the poorest families and children with disabilities are particularly excluded from education.

In Ishorkul and other remote floodplain areas in the north, the education situation is particularly bad. Many villages have no state school. Families living in extreme poverty have no money for the daily journey to school on the mainland or for school materials. And although parents believe education is very important, they find it more economically sensible to let their children work at home: the quality of teaching at state schools is poor. The children learn very little there. The additional investment in education is not worth it either - and there is no money for private tutoring.

But every child has a right to education - regardless of their parents' job, where they live, or the level of their physical and psychological abilities. All children in the floodplain region should be given the chance to follow a dignified path, escape poverty and be prepared for the challenges of the future.|2.6 million children in Bangladesh have no access to primary school education (UNICEF, 2014). However, the actual number is likely to be much higher, as many children are officially enrolled in state schools but do not actually attend classes. Children from the poorest families and people with disabilities are particularly excluded from education.

In Ishorkul and other remote areas in the north, the education situation is particularly bad. Many villages have no public schools at all. Families living in extreme poverty have no money for the daily river crossing to the mainland to send their children to school, nor for the necessary school materials. And although parents believe education is very important, they often find it more economically sensible to leave their children at home and let them work. The quality of education in public schools is abysmal; children learn very little there, and so investing in education is hardly worthwhile.

Every child has a right to education - regardless of their parents' income, where they live and their physical and mental abilities. Many children in the floodplains must be given the chance to live a life of dignity, escape poverty and be prepared for the challenges of the future.

Gangachara Upazila, Rangpur, Bangladesch

The good deed

We want to give children from extremely poor families in Bangladesh access to pre-school and primary school education. We have founded 14 new schools and offer high-quality, inclusive primary school education for children with and without disabilities. We want to strengthen, motivate and enable village communities to take over the management of these schools themselves. A total of 42 teachers and 5 school managers are employed and regularly take part in training courses.|We want to give children from extremely poor families in Bangladesh access to pre-school and primary school education. We have founded 14 new schools that offer children with and without disabilities a high-quality and inclusive primary school education. We want to empower, motivate and enable village communities to run these schools independently. We employ 42 teachers and 5 school supervisors who regularly take part in training courses.

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