BRAC not in favour of privatising pry schools
FE Report | Sunday, 8 June 2008
BRAC authorities gave a clarification about the controversy arising from the joint programme with the government to train primary school teachers under NGO supervision.
"BRAC strongly believes that it is the responsibility of the state to ensure quality primary education for all. BRAC does not believe in the privatisation or commercialisation of primary education," it said in a statement Saturday.
"About the pilot programme initiated jointly by the government of Bangladesh and BRAC, we would like to clarify that the aim of the programme is to improve the standard of education at selected government and registered non-government primary schools," BRAC said.
BRAC has not been given any control over the management of these schools, it said adding that the objectives of the pilot programme are to increase attendance, reduce high drop out rates, raise course completion rates to over 80 per cent and improve overall quality of teaching and learning at government and registered non-government primary schools in 20 sub-districts of 9 districts.
"This will be done by providing teachers with skills training, making school management committees more active, organising periodic parent-teacher meetings as well as regular head-teacher-led discussion forums for all teachers," BRAC said in the clarification.
All activities under this programme will be carried out with full involvement of the management and teachers of the schools. It may be mentioned that BRAC has, over the past three years, conducted an experimental programme to improve the capacity of government primary schools in 6 upazillas of Sherpur district.
The current pilot programme has been undertaken in light of the significant experience gained through this programme,
It said more than 1.2 million children are currently enrolled in the 37,500 BRAC primary schools across the country and over 3.8 million students have already graduated, over 90 per cent of whom have moved on to formal schooling at the secondary level. In 2007, the pass rate of BRAC school students in the government conducted class 5 completion exam was over 95 per cent.
"BRAC strongly believes that it is the responsibility of the state to ensure quality primary education for all. BRAC does not believe in the privatisation or commercialisation of primary education," it said in a statement Saturday.
"About the pilot programme initiated jointly by the government of Bangladesh and BRAC, we would like to clarify that the aim of the programme is to improve the standard of education at selected government and registered non-government primary schools," BRAC said.
BRAC has not been given any control over the management of these schools, it said adding that the objectives of the pilot programme are to increase attendance, reduce high drop out rates, raise course completion rates to over 80 per cent and improve overall quality of teaching and learning at government and registered non-government primary schools in 20 sub-districts of 9 districts.
"This will be done by providing teachers with skills training, making school management committees more active, organising periodic parent-teacher meetings as well as regular head-teacher-led discussion forums for all teachers," BRAC said in the clarification.
All activities under this programme will be carried out with full involvement of the management and teachers of the schools. It may be mentioned that BRAC has, over the past three years, conducted an experimental programme to improve the capacity of government primary schools in 6 upazillas of Sherpur district.
The current pilot programme has been undertaken in light of the significant experience gained through this programme,
It said more than 1.2 million children are currently enrolled in the 37,500 BRAC primary schools across the country and over 3.8 million students have already graduated, over 90 per cent of whom have moved on to formal schooling at the secondary level. In 2007, the pass rate of BRAC school students in the government conducted class 5 completion exam was over 95 per cent.