Local Initiative has created an example for changing pre-primary class environment
Chapainobabganj district is a drought prone area, located on the North West part of Bangladesh. In this district has one historically famous and less development Upazila named Nachole. Jonakipara Hamidpur village is situated the west part of Nachole Upazila. There lived 2150 people at 560 households and mostly driven by Mango and other agricultural cultivation. In this village, there is a primary school which was established in 2013 namely Jonakipara Hamidpur Government Primary. Although the school is being run by government, local people had no faith in its teaching and learning style. Even the educational environment is backdated where students were to seat in the ground to response classes. Moreover, one teacher was conducted more than one class at a time. Students lost their interest in attending classes, eventually students dropped out from schools.
DASCOH IQ project in supported of NETZ Bangladesh and Child Aid Network conducted a base line survey and selected the school under its intervention approach. Small amount of students, unorganized classroom, desultory setting beyond active teacher baffles the students, they often quarrel among themselves. In a word, there was a rare educational environment. While the project started working with the school in 2019, it arranged teachers and capacitated them with necessary resources, supply mats for the students including playing materials to create cheerful learning environment. People’s insight has been changed around the area as the project team and paid home visits in regular basis to promote guardians to send their children into schools. Currently student’s attendance has been increased from 14 to 26. Thus, reading and writing scenarios has also been improved in a holistic attempt. Besides, Education Development Committee (EDC) and School Management Committee (SMC) members gradually intensified the interaction among teachers, students and guardians. One day, a proposal came to project supervisor to arrange stool for students sitting, perceiving matter project explored a plan to motivate guardians in a parents meeting. With which Project personnel was able to make guardians understood the importance of education and necessity of their supports. Likewise, guardians spread their hands to pay 26 stool for their children. The committed intervention approach of project encouraged teacher’s pool of the school to contribute mobilizing local resource into improving education. The example is not all to bring solution but it is a step ahead mechanism to meet project goal making sure exclusive and equitable quality education.