Swedish 'study circle' helps cut school dropout in Bogra

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A western learning method has been proved quite effective in cutting students dropout rates from a number of primary schools in Bogra and ensuring timely attendance of teachers everyday, reports BSS.
The 'study circle' method, innovated and widely used in Sweden, has reportedly helped reducing five to ten per cent dropouts, increased enrollment substantially, ensured wider involvement of parents and brought greater accountability of teachers to communities towards quality education.
The US-based National Democratic Institute (NDI) has been implementing a two-year project in Shibganj Upazila of the northern district to improve the quality of primary education and solve the local disputes through dialogue among communities.
"The study circle programme has been found very effective to march forward the government agenda on universal primary education with a 100 per cent enrollment and almost zero dropouts," upazila education officer of Shibganj Asaduzzman Chowdhury told a visiting BSS correspondent yesterday.
He said the level of awareness has been increased in the study circle programme areas and the people have been showing enthusiasm about their rights and responsibilities over primary schools. As a result, the poor and reluctant parents are now sending their kids to schools and challenging teachers about timely attendance and stipends.
He, however, said the upazila education office is yet to conduct any impact study on it.
NDI sources in Dhaka said they have started implementing the programme in Shibganj with its local partner TMSS, in April 2005 to conduct 110 study circles in the area by September 2007.
More than a hundred sessions have already been completed by June this year and the rests will be done within the stipulated time, said Abdul Momen, project manager of NDI Study Circle Programme.
Over 1,400 members have been involved in the programme after a short training on study circle method, which involves 12-15 community people to discuss local problems in groups and find solutions based on consensus.