Role of NGOs for Primary Educaiton in Bangladesh: A study on Mohanpur Upazila in Rajshahi District

Abstract

Education is a basic human right while literacy is the first step to education in the life-long learning process of all human beings. Education is the foundation of all skills and a prerequisite for economic development, promoting human values and quality of human resources. In the context of Bangladesh, the lack of basic education amongst a vast number of the population, especially the rural poor and slum dwellers, is a major hindrance to the progress of human development. NGOs believes that in order to mount a literacy movement successfully at all levels, it is crucial to have cooperation among different stakeholders, particularly the government, NGOs, Civil Society like learners, teachers, teachers associations, researchers thinks tanks, community, development partners etc. and other institutions that are dynamic and democratic. Bangladesh government introduced universal primary educaiton for all after the independence. The constitution of 1972 realizing the importance of education in national development. In article 17 of Bangladesh constitution it is stated that was said that “The state shall adopt effective measures for the purpose of establishing a uniform, mass oriented and universal system of education and extending free and compulsory education to all children to such stage as may be determined by low; relating education to the needs of society and producing properly trained and motivated citizens to serve those needs; removing illiteracy within such time as may be determined by law”. The education that facilities the children of 6-11 years age group to amplify their mental behaviour and attitude is called Primary Education. This primary education is the foundation of all education. Since the mid-1980s, particularly since the Jomtien conference, a number of new initiatives have been undertaken by the public, private, and non-governmental organisation (NGO) sectors to promote primary education in the country. Among these policies and programmes are: a. Free and compulsory primary education for all children; b. Free education for girls up to grade eight; free books for all children at primary level; c. Scholarship for girls reading in rural secondary schools including financial incentives to the schools themselves; d. A food-for-education programme that provides a food ration to about 20 percent of poor primary school children in rural areas; e. A proliferation of non-formal education programme by NGOs, and f. Creation of a separate Primary and Mass Education Division (PMED) headed by a secretary to the government. Primary education in Bangladesh has expanded in recent years, but quality did not pace with quantity. There are eleven types of primary schools that run in the country. These ranges from formal to non-formal, and secular to religious oriented. Duration of primary education is five years and children aged 6-10 years are suppose to enroll in the primary education institutions. The importance of primary education in our practical life or in every sphere of life can hardly be over-emphasized. A nation cannot make progress if a large section of her people remains illiterate because illiteracy is a curse. Those who are deprived of primary education lag behind in life. Primary education assists to prosper in life. It presents a good nation as well as a prosperous country. Moreover, in a democratic country like ours, it is impossible to neglect the need for primary education. This kind of illiteracy frustrates all section of a country. The primary education can play a vital role as- importance for improving human resources, mitigating global challenges, ensuring humans right for building democratic society, for establishing social equality and social justice. Primary education is the basic right for human being. It is obligatory for all. From the beginning the rate of drop out of our children in increasing day by day. In Bangladesh most of the upazila cannot fulfil enroll child in primary education and some child cannot go to school for their parents proverty. Many child enroll in class one or two but they leave their school without finishing primary education. Some upazila of Bangladesh are cut out from urban area and communication of these upazila are not so good. In this cutout position-NGOs primary schools plays a supplementary role for primary education and their achievement is remarkable. Due to these reality researcher thinks that present research is very essential for educational uplifting of the nation. So role of NGOs for primary education in Bangladesh is important field of research. Non-governmental organization (NGOs) in Bangladesh constitutes the country’s non-profit private sector in development. Their activating embraces various fields of development and largely geared to alleviating poverty and promoting sustainable development. Generally, the term ‘NGO’ is Non-Governmental aid providing organization. There is no scarcity of studies in the field of education. However so far, none of these studies have looked into the matter, i.e.. which part is better for the education in primary level. This is particularly important in Bangladesh, as our resources are extremely limited. We connot go for trial and error method. So, in this study, for the first time, I indebted to answer the questions with the objectives to identify the needs of the education in primary school in Bangladesh to identify the service offered by the children for them and to asses the effectiveness of child and institutional setting in meeting the needs of the children in primary education. Data were collected for the Mohanpur upazila through face to face interviewed. Data have been analyzed and presented on comparative basis. The research work “Role of NGOs for Primary Education in Bangladesh: A Study on Mohanpur Upazila in Rajshahi District” has been divided into 7 chapter. The objectives of the study is to identify the role of NGOs for primary education, to know the involvement of NGOs primary education activities in Bangladesh, to investigate teaching method of NGOs in spreading of primary education. First chapter discuss that introduction, statement of the problem, research question, justification of the research, objectives of the study, key concepts, limitation of the research, In second chapter discuss that review of literature, third chapter methodology of the study, data are basically collected from primary sources for the field level (NGOs school), students, guardians, teachers, (Data collected for the totally 123 students, 123 guardians and teachers 26 = total 272). Questionnaire, interviews, class room observation checklist and documents are used as data collection instrument, data present in the qualitative and quantitative, percentage, mean, medium, standard deviation, chi-square. The title of chapter four is development of the NGOs in Bangladesh. In this chapter the major aspectes of NGOs emergency, mission and goals of NGOs, genesis, legal framework, typology of NGOs categorization by role, sectoral contribution and success of NGOs. In chapter five, NGOs involvement on primary education in Bangladesh has been noted. In this chapter discusses, education historical background of primary education, composition of education commission, education planning, vision of basic and primary education by 2015, NGOs involvement of primary education in Bangladesh, basic education programs, area coverage, over view of education system, list of primary education institutions, educational institutions of Rajshahi district, problem and issues in primary education in Bangladesh, non formal education in non-government organization, (a) model of non-formal primary education (the BRAC model, the GSS model, CMES, NIJERA Shikhi model, UCEF model, DUSHTHA SHASTHYA Kinder) (b) international NGOs as, (action AID, CARE, Concern International, Save the Children UK etc), teaching method. In chapter six, NGOs role on primary education in Bangladesh. In this chapter the collected data has been presented in various tables, charts or graph. This tables, charts or graphs may clarify the overall role of NGOs for primary in Bangladesh. The study shows that among the respondents classroom observation checklist of NGOs students 97.6% good (development of education), 92.7% good (teaching of method) guardian 97.6% good role of NGOs school in Bangladesh perspective, 84.6% guardians good NGOs contribution school program in study area, positive role (opinions of guardians) 85.4% NGOs school programs should be increased, 84.6% NGOs schools role to develop in education and 92.3% NGOs school teachers complete course their due time. Chapter seven, title is chapter findings and recommendation present situation of primary education in Bangladesh, NGOs involvement in school Programme, educational qualification of primary teachers, salary structure of the teachers, spending on education, school facilities, access to education, curriculum, teacher training and supervision, flexible hours, Incentives, classroom management, teaching method, the NGOs school goals have been to- improve enrollment rates, reduce dropout rates of students, increase daily attendance rates for teachers and students and ensures community participation. I hope this study will increase are knowledge in this field and will help researchers interested in this area. The study will also help the researcher government, NGOs policy makers, schooling program and non-government policy makers interested in this field.