‘Govt to work with BRAC in non-formal education sector’

The government is interested to work in non-formal education sector on the basis of a long term partnership with BRAC, says Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE) Director General Md Ataur Rahman.

He came up with the remark while addressing a discussion at a hotel in Cox’s Bazar on Sunday, said a press release.

The BNFE DG also appreciated BRAC’s long term activities for Rohingyas and the host community.

In his address, the BNFE DG stressed on innovating new ideas by utilising the experiences of field level BRAC employees regarding the non-formal education for Rohingyas and the host community.

He further said the government and BRAC can work jointly on innovation by utilising BRAC’s experiences. The concerned authorities will provide necessary support regarding the innovation and enhancing capacity of education employees.

The education sector of BRAC under Humanitarian Crisis Management Programme organised the discussion titled ‘Education Activities under HCMP’.

Md Ataur came to the district on a two-day visit to inspect the education activities, taken up by BRAC, at Rohingya camps.

Md Ripon Kabir Laskar, deputy director (admin) of BNFE; Safi Rahman Khan, director of Education Programme of BRAC; Md Mahamud Hasan, chief of party of the same programme; Khan Mohammad Ferdous, lead of Education Sector under HCMP; and others were present.

According to the release, BRAC brought 69,423 children (aged between 3-14) under non-formal education at Rohingya camps.

Besides, the organisation is working for 3,759 children of host community. he said, adding that the government and BRAC can work jointly on innovation by utilizing BRAC’s experiences.

Earlier, the DG visited the BRAC Learning Centre at No 15 and 16 Rohingya camps where he talked to Rohingya children, studying from level 1-4, their parents, guardians and teachers.

While giving a presentation on education activities under HCMP, Sector Lead Khan Mohammad Frdous said that BRAC so far brought 73,182 children of both Rohingya and host communities under non-formal education. BRAC’s target is to bring one lakh children of disadvantaged people under such education through 1000 centres in the days to come.

Under the Learning Competency Framework Approach-Guideline for Informal Education programme), education from level 1-4 is given for children of Rohingyas, while pre-primary to class V in Bangla language, approved by the government, is given for the children of the host community.

Besides, a process aimed at imparting education for Rohingyas from sixth to ninth grade in their mother tongue as per the curriculum of Myanmar is now going on.

Financed by UNICEF, UNHCR, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australian government, Nippon Foundation and others, BRAC is implementing the project with the support of Bangladesh government.