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A teacher is teaching schoolchildren English through the tab device at Ratigram Government Primary School in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram. Schoolchildren are also enjoying their classes and trying to interact with their teacher in English.
Their parents are, however, very happy seeing such efforts made by their children. They also hope if such studies go on using technology, their daughters will do better in the future.
5th grade student Anika Tabassum (pseudonym) told The Business Post, “English and Bangla rhymes are on the tab. Mathematics is nicely done. These help us a lot in reading comprehension. I didn’t understand it well before, but now I understand it easily.”
Assistant teacher of this school Shapla Sarkar said that the contents of the tab are done differently. Bangla, English and math are explained through cartoon visuals in e-contents. Schoolchildren understand it clearly and don’t forget it easily.
Schoolchildren are developing their talents in such way. Besides, she said, interest in reading among them has increased due to study with the help of technology.
Md Ekramul Haque Chowdhury, the headmaster of Ratigram School said, “An NGO gives us these tabs. One tab is given for every three students. The textbook content is well presented there. Attendance of schoolchildren has increased due to education through this tab.”
Like this school, 4th and 5th grade girl students of upazila’s 60 schools are being taught Bangla, English and math contents through such tabs. Save the Children in partnership with Hempel Foundation is implementing the project with two national partners-- Friendship and CAMPE.
Save the Children’s Manager (Education) Mohammad Nazrul Islam told The Business Post that the project aims to support 12,536 girl children in grades 4 and 5 in 120 government primary schools. The project introduces interactive and child-friendly e-contents on Bangla, English and mathematics developed earlier by Save the Children and BRAC with the assistance of the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB).
Now the project is being implemented in Rajarhat upazila of Kurigram and Madarganj upazila of Jamalpur which will end in May this year, he said.
Friendship’s project Coordinator Md Suruz Mollah said, “Since the beginning of EGE project in 2019, it ran innovative solutions to ensure learning of the targeted girls and prepare them for future challenges.”
He said, “Those innovative contents aim to open a new window for the rural children and education facilitators as they are experiencing an innovative teaching-learning opportunity.”
Besides, EGE has sensitisation activities for the parents and the community about child marriage, girl education, and so on. EGE has involved all the stakeholders, including government officials, teachers, students, parents, and marriage registers, he further said.
Local people demanded extension of the tenure of the project. Other schools should be given a chance and boys should be brought under it.
This correspondent visited some government primary schools in Rajarhat upazila in recent times and talked to students, guardians and teachers.
While visiting Dudekhawa Government Primary School, it was seen that class-five girl students talk to PEPCO Group School of HOPE’s students in Saver through the tab gadget with zoom meeting.
Friendship’s education facilitator Madhubi Rani said, “Every three months, a class has the opportunity to speak on Skype or Zoom. They talk to various educational institutions in and around Dhaka. The girl children’s inertia to speak is cut off. Talking to school girls in Dhaka increases their self-confidence.”
Nusha Islam (pseudonym), a 5th grade student of that school said, “Today our discussion is about child or early marriage. Any marriage under the age of 18 is called child marriage. This can cause many difficulties for girls. If we see such marriage, then we call 109 to stop it.”
Teachers, NGO workers and guardians are holding meetings about the child rights and education at Rajarhat Model Government Primary School.
School’s headmaster Nur Islam said, “We had no idea about such a programme. When we started this work, coronavirus broke out in the country. Otherwise, it could have been more successful. Due to this system, children are learning very happily. Visuals attract them. This has reduced dropout rates and increased attendance.”
Rumana Khanam (pseudonym), a class 5 student, said that they take different types of quiz tests in the tab. If school wants to hold such exam, it takes time to prepare the questions and print them on the paper. But the test does not take time in tab device. They take test with great pleasure in tab.
Md Abu Noman Sarker, technical officer of Friendship, told The Business Post that initially, parents were not aware of it. They thought that their children would be spoiled in tab class. Their children would visit various sites and watch bad things. So, they didn’t come first.
But now they built awareness among the guardians. Their children would not be able to visit bad sites which are closed. They can study by logging in with the app they have. First, we showed the parents and later we could place our trust in them, he said.
Mohammad Nazrul Islam, Upazila Education Officer, told The Business Post that there are 124 primary schools in Rajarhat upazila where more than 18,500 students are studying. To improve the quality of education and build digital and smart Bangladesh, children need digital tools to be skilled citizens.
“The Friendship provided tab as equipment for primary schoolchildren added joy to children. This tab is working as a supplement to the government’s child-friendly schools and learning with joy,” he said.
“We hear this project will be completed in May this year. So, I think if this project’s tenure is extended, its scope would be increased. Not only girls, but also boys should be provided with this facility,” he added.
Nazrul said, “We consider primary education cycle from 1st to 5th grade. But a number of children drop out due to various reasons. Last year 2.37 per cent of children dropped out of schools in this upazila. The reasons behind the dropouts include poverty, unconsciousness, and ignorance. We are trying to bring it to zero.”
Nura Tasnim, Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Rajarhat Upazila, told The Business Post that Apart from regular education materials, children are being able to visualise their study with the assistance of tabs they get through the projects. Their concepts on relevant topics are clear, creating a sort of confidence thanks to technology attachment which is very positive.
Comparing the schools under this project with other schools shows that they are comparatively clear in concept to other, she said.
In response to the question whether she sees the need to expand such projects across the country, she said, “Of course, there is a need.”
The UNO said, “The people involved with this project have faced some obstacles due to coronavirus. At that time, they tried to go from house to house. But we are far behind from the achievement. For this reason, this project should be extended.”
They cannot cover all subjects. Apart from Bangla, English and mathematics, other subjects should be included in the syllabus. Besides, all boys and girls should have access to this project, she added.
