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Country Paper: Status and Major Challenges of Literacy in Bangladesh

Prepared by the Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE)

Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

June 2010

This paper was prepared as a contribution to the Eighth E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting. It has not been edited by UNESCO. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to UNESCO. The paper can be cited with the following reference: “Country Paper prepared for the Eighth E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting”

Eighth E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting on Education for All

“Literacy for Development”

Abuja, Nigeria

21-24 June 2010

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The Country Paper for 8th E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting: Literacy for Development

(Abuja, Nigeria, June 2010)

Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE) Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

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Table of Content Contents ... ... ... 031. National Context ... ... ... 042. Development ... ... ... 052.1 Definition of development ... ... ... 052.2 Development Goals 062.3 Literacy and Development ... ... ... 063. Policy, planning and legislative and financial frameworks

... ... ... 07

4. Institutional frameworks ... ... ... 124.1 Government ... ... ... 124.2 Other stakeholders ... ... ... 134.3 Coordination ... ... ... 134.4 Key challenges ... ... ... 145. Programs for youth/ adult literacy and development ... ... ... 145.1 Learner motivation ... ... ... 145.2 Content ... ... ... 145.3 Materials ... ... ... 155.4 Teaching methodology ... ... ... 155.5 Educators/facilitators ... ... ... 165.6 Language ... ... ... 165.7 Access and Scale ... ... ... 165.8 Key challenges ... ... ... 176. Examples of programs ... ... ... 177. Monitoring and evaluation ... ... ... 197.1 Literacy Assessment ... ... ... 197.2 Program Evaluation ... ... ... 207.3 Information Management System for Literacy and NFE ... ... ... 207.4 Outcomes of literacy programs ... ... ... 217.5 Key challenges ... ... ... 218. Commitment for the Future ... ... ... 22

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The Country Paper for 8th E-9 Ministerial Review Meeting: Literacy For Development (Abuja, Nigeria, June 2010)

1. National Context

1.1 Bangladesh is a densely populated country. The estimated population in 2008 was 145.93 million. The percentage of urban population is 22 percent, while rest of the population concentrated in villages in the country. It has an area of 147,570 sq. kilometers. Ninety-eight percent of her population speaks Bangla with varying and rich dialects. The other two percent includes ethnic groups, having their own language with rich cultural heritage. Bangladesh comprises of 6 divisions, 64 districts and 481 upazilas (sub-districts), 4,484 Union Parishad (union council) and 87,319 Villages.

The literacy rates of Bangladesh published in different Census and study reports during the period of 2005-2009 are given below:

UNESCO, ALSB 2005: 45.2 % (15 +age group) UNESCO: 2005: About 52 million people (7+ above) are remaining illiterates, BBS, Literacy Assessment Survey 2008: 48.8% (15+ age group) NFE Mapping Report-2009: There are 37.35 million illiterates of 11-45 age groups in the

country.

The present adult literacy rate in the country is 48.8 percent (15+ years). Male female difference is small, while rural urban difference is remarkably high. The difference of literacy rate in urban and rural area is given in the following table:

Sex Rural Urban Total Male 46.1 56.7 48.6 Female 46.7 57.1 49.1 Total 46.4 56.9 48.8

Source: National Report For Sixth International Conference on Adult Education (CONFINTEA VI) There are 82,218 Primary Schools of 9 categories in the country. These are: (1) Govt. Primary School: 37,672, (2) Registered Non-govt. Primary School: 20,083, (3) Non-registered Non-govt. Primary School: 966, (4) Experimental School: 54, (5) Community School: 3,263, (6) Kindergarten School: 2987, (7) NGO School: 408, (8) Ebtedayee Madrasha: 15,646, and (9) High School attached Primary School: 1,139. As per the School Survey 2008 conducted by Directorate of Primary Education, the enrolment rates in the above institutions are as follows:

The total enrolment is 16.00 million students (6-10 years age): Boys 7.92 million (49.5%), and girls: 8.08 million (50.5%).

Gross Enrolment Rate (GER): 97.6% Net Enrolment Rate (NER): 90.8%. Cycle Completion rate: 54.9%

1.2. NFE sub-sector in Bangladesh provides an alternative channel, a second chance education for the dropout and un-enrolled primary school-age children, basic and skill training for the adolescents and non-formal education for the adults. This contributes to improve their social and economic conditions. At present, in conformity with the commitment of the Government of eradicating illiteracy from Bangladesh by the year 2014, NFE in Bangladesh have been designed to cover the total population irrespective of sex, ethnic group, locality, occupation and languages with particular emphasis to the poor and vulnerable women, the poorest and ethnic minorities. Programmes Targets and achievements of different projects of BNFE under implementation include:

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Name of the Project

Duration of the Project

Target Learner Target Target Achieved

Integrated Non-Formal Education Project (INFEP)

July 1991- June 97

4-5 years children (pre-primary education),6-10 years children (Basic education), 11-45 years adults(basic literacy)

1.67 million

2.47 million

NFE Project -1 Jan. 1996- June 2001

15-24 years illiterate people

29.50 Lakh

29.61 Lakh

NFE Project -2

July 1995- June 2002

11-45 years illiterate people

59.02 Lakh

36.18 Lakh

NFE Project -3

Jan. 1996- June 2004

8-14 years Working children

3.51 Lakh

03.51 Lakh

NFE Project -4

April 1997- June 2003

11-45 years illiterate people 228.89 Lakh 92.25

Lakh

BEHTRUWC Project

June 2004- July 2012

10-14 years Working children

0.166 million (basic education) and 15,000 (skill training)

50,000 completed

PLCEHD-1 April 2001 Dec. 2007

15-24 years neo literate and drop-outs 13.6 lakh 09.73 lakh

PLCEHD-2 July 2007 – June 2013

11-45 years neo literate and drop-outs 16 lakh 1.26 lakh

PLCEHD-3 July 2001-June 2007

15-24 years neo literate and drop-outs 0. 63 lakh 0.63 lakh

* Government has undertaken 3 Basic Literacy and Skill Training Programme covering 33.7 million illiterate populations, which will be implemented by this financial year.

2. Development

2.1 Definition of Development: Development is the increase in the amount of people in a nation's population with sustained growth from a simple, low-income economy to a modern, high-income economy. Its scope includes the process and policies by which a nation improves the economic, political, social, and cultural well being of its people. Development is a set achievements that include reducing poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and gender equality, reducing infant and child mortality and maternal mortality, reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases, and increasing proportion of people’s access to safe drinking water. (Source: Bangladesh: Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, November 2005, IMF Country Report No. 05/410).

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2.2 Development Goals: The main national level development goals set by the PRSP are: (i) employment generation; (ii) nutrition; (iii) maternal health; (iv) quality education at primary, secondary, and vocational levels); (v) sanitation and safe water; (vi) criminal justice; (vii) local governance; and (viii) monitoring. In addition to the still daunting levels of income poverty, the PRSP raises the profile on women’s advancement, rising inequality, and making governance work especially for the poor. In setting these goals, it acknowledges Bangladesh’s encouraging development record but cautions against complacency and slippages in areas where progress has been good. Recognizing the growing significance of the meso-level economy (rural market centers), it advocates greater policy attention to it for growth and employment generation. It rightly emphasizes addressing implementation problems and capacity constraints within the Government: particularly by improving (i) the budgetary framework for development spending, (ii) the quality of the civil service, and (iii) the flow of information (Source: Bangladesh PRSP Forum Economic Update, Recent Developments and Future Perspectives, The World Bank Office, Dhaka, November 2005)

2.3 Literacy and Development: According to the UNDP Human Development Report 2007/08, the HDI index of Bangladesh was 0.547. The Report also observed from the above report that Adult literacy rate in Bangladesh (% aged 15 and above) during the period of 1995-2005 was 47.5 and the Life Expectancy at birth (years) was 63.1, while combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education was 56%.

HDI consists of three composite components: life expectancy at birth, quality of life in terms of PPP (purchasing power parity) and knowledge. The two components: life expectancy and quality of life are also indirectly dependent on knowledge. Knowledge consists of adult literacy with 2/3 weight and combined ratio of enrolment 1/3 weight. In fact adult literacy contributes directly about 23% to HDI. Adult literacy has a significant role to play in the development of the country. As such enhancement of literacy in the country is one of the most priority areas of the Government commitment. Now over the time there has been a positive impact on literacy and other cross cutting issues like health & nutrition, family planning, child & maternal health, water & sanitation, HIV/AIDS, other life skills and livelihood skills through the curriculums, training, issue based discussion, trade-based technical training, social mobilization, orientation and mass gathering activities undertaken through implementing NFE programs in the country. It has also changed attitudes, values and habits as well as awareness level of the individual on life skills etc. as shown below

Previous Status Post Status Change of attitudes, values, habits of

Socio Economic status % Male % Female % Male % Female Savings 23.25 15.04 49.28 39.57 Family Planning 28.57 39.49 62.24 68.54 Income Generating Activities 30.36 12.22 49.76 25.21 Credit Program 6.02 5.64 11.57 12.31 Sending the children to school 24.68 34.54 44.81 54.96

Previous Status Post Status Awareness level of the Life Skill

% Male % Female % Male % Female Drinking Water of tube well 28.80 29.64 70.12 71.20 Washing hands before and after eating 34.70 36.58 62.53 60.34 Harvesting vegetables in house compound 31.57 29.06 65.24 67.86 Using Sanitary latrine 26.30 25.30 71.95 70.68 Refraining from child marriage 20.48 22.82 70.36 70.51

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Previous Status Post Status Awareness level of the Life Skill % Male % Female % Male % Female

(Source: National Report for Sixth International Conference on Adult Education-CONFINTEA VI). Comparative Picture of the Country in the light of Human Development Index (UNDP HDI and BBS)

Human Dev. Index

Life Expectancy at birth (years)

Adult literacy rate (% aged 15 and above)

Combined gross enrolment ratio for primary, secondary and tertiary education (%)

GDP per capita (PPP US$)

Life expectancy index

Education index

HRD Rank

Countries

2005 2005 1995-2005

2005 2005

136 Pakistan 0.551 64.6 49.9 40.0 2,370 0.659 0.466 140 Bangladesh 0.547 63.1 47.5 56.0 2,053 0.635 0.503 142 Nepal 0.534 62.6 48.6 58.1 1,150 0.626 0.518

Although Development Partners, like ADB, IDA, SDC, DIFID, UNESCO, UNICEF, SIDA etc. are contributing through providing financial and technical supports to achieve national development goals but civil society organizations and other stakeholders are not engaged to raise public awareness of and support literacy activities as a means to achieve national development goals both at national and local levels. Local government bodies, the people’s organizations, NGOs, CBOs and networks at local level should be more involved with the literacy movement.

3. Policy, planning and legislative and financial frameworks

3.1 Bangladesh Constitution recognizes education as a fundamental right of every citizen and enjoins on the State "to adopt effective measures for (a) 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 law; (b) relating education to the needs of society and producing properly trained and motivated citizens to serve those needs and (c) removing illiteracy within such time as may be determined by law". Bangladesh is fully committed to achieving the EFA goals by providing quality basic education for all with the aim of building a democratic polity to fulfilling people's aspirations and meeting the requirements of poverty alleviation and national development.

Besides constitutional obligation, present Government has committed to eradicate illiteracy by the year 2014 through their election manifesto.

The Government priorities and goals are reflected in the periodic national development plans, Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), and the National Plan of Action for EFA, as well as various NFE projects with the support of development partners. Partnership building among all who can contribute, especially the role of NGOs & CBOs has been well recognized.

National NFE Policy was approved in January 2006 which provides the total framework for Non-formal Education in Bangladesh including vision, mission, goal, objectives, scope, and potential clientele groups . NFE activities will accord priority to children, adolescents and young adults and reflect the need for special attention to various disadvantaged groups, including children

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and youth with physical and mental disabilities; ethnic minorities; people living in ecologically difficult locations such as haors, chars, and coastal areas; and marginalised groups, such as, street children, working children, and people otherwise disadvantaged or living in especially difficult circumstances. Project priorities on NFE during NPA II period will include the following:

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) program for children aged 3-5 years will cover

only the children of hardcore poor families (40% of the age-group total). Non-Formal Basic Education (NFBE-1)

program will cover the 6/8-10 year old un-enrolled,

primary school dropouts, child labour, street children and other disadvantaged children, covering 50% of the group total; gradually up scaling to cover 100 percent.

Non-Formal Basic Education (NFBE-2), the 11-14 year old un-enrolled, primary school dropouts, child labour, street children and other disadvantaged children, covering 50% of the total; up scaling and integrating with training for improving the life situation.

Continuing Education and Livelihood Skills Program (CELSP) for Out-of-School Adolescents

and Youth (OSA/Y), a pilot project for 12-19 age group population; linked to enterprises engaged in production and employment generation.

Adult Education Program (AEP): covering 25% of the 25-45 age group, with priority to 25-35 age group; the on-going PLCE projects serving DNFE graduates will continue as planned but include primary school dropouts; This will be designed with area specific consideration for linking education with development activities that will indicates the prospect for the learners to take benefit from.

Post Literacy and Continuing Education (PLCE), planning for 30% of the remaining age group population; and take up new CE program for promoting a learning society.

Training through non-formal channels in vocational, entrepreneurship, and employment related skills together with support for access to micro-credit or micro-finance (Source: NFE Policy, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh).

The comprehensive and enhanced NFE uses the following strategies for its implementation:

Adopting NFE initiatives and motivation of local teachers; Flexible learning Approach: NFE programs will adopt a flexible approach to learning, which

gives learners as much control and choice as possible regarding the content, sequence, time, place and method of learning within limited resources;

Introduction of lateral entry between the formal and non-formal institutions. Cross-cutting issues: NFE programs and activities will address, support and promote cross

cutting issues such as equity, gender sensitivity, poverty alleviation, environment sensitivity, good governance, prevention of HIV/AIDS, and inclusiveness where necessary; these will also be reflected in teaching learning, training contents and delivery mechanisms of NFE.

Use of local level govt. departments, NGOs and CBOs for skills training and access to micro-credit.

Enlisting the support and participation of the private sector and NGOs, (where necessary) to provide skill training, apprenticeship, and employment. (Source: NFE Policy, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh).

Success and effective implementation of the program depends on the timely completion of set tasks and achievement of listed goals. The goals are in the areas of access, rate of attendance and completion of courses, percent of learners achieving the competency or mastering the contents of lessons, transfer to the mainstream primary education in case of school-age children

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or skills pursuits in case of others, extent of use of learning and employment-related skills, and maintaining interest in further learning. Detailed indicators are provided in the projects under each component/subcomponent of NFE program through a review and, where necessary, revision of the monitoring and evaluation formats recently developed. Goal-directed regular monitoring and effective supervision will help accomplish the tasks and achieve both the process and project goals. Periodical evaluation and impact studies will also guide the work of the projects and the program to ensure quality.

Benchmarks and the Targets of NFE in Bangladesh by 2015 (in 000s) Benchmark Clientele Targets of NPA

II Program Coverage by Age Groups

2000/2001 2005 2010 2015ECCE: 3-5 (hardcore 40% of total) 4,132 1,019 1,868 1,245NFBE: 6/8-10 (50% of dropouts/ un-enrolled of 2001 base +)

6,120 1,545 2,721 1,854

NFBE: 11-14 (2001 base) 6,031 1,535 2,600 1,896OSA/Y: 12-19 (pilot project) 168 18 30 120Young adults: 15-24 (50% of the illiterate group) 5,369 1,431 2,339 1,599Adults: 25-45 (25% of the illiterate group) 2,701 810 1,081 810PLCE targets, no addition; 30% of the remaining 11.602 m 3,481 1,044 1,392 1,044Total 28,001 7,402 12,031 8,568 Source: Education for All, National Plan of Action (NPA II) 2003-2015

3.2. In addition to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), Social Welfare (MoSW), Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Health and Family Welfare, Local Government and Rural Development especially LGED and Public health/water and environmental sanitation and Department or Directorate such as Shishu Academy, DPHE, BRDB have some sorts of literacy or skill training program in the country.

The Urban Informal Economy (UIE) project (January 2007 - December 2011) implemented by the Dhaka City Corporation, towards the Elimination of Worst Forms of Child Labour in Bangladesh, is the ILO supported projects to the national Time Bound Program (TBP). The TBP was developed by the Government of Bangladesh in 2001 following the ratification of ILO Convention No. 182 on the Elimination of the worst forms of child labour (WFCL). Basic literacy and marketable skills training is provided to the target children of the project in order to rehabilitate them into the mainstream development of the society.

Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) is implementing early childhood care and development (ECCD) and advocacy programme on needs and benefits, educating parents on physical and nutritional requirements of children and developing pre-school learning for school readiness through Bangladesh Shishu Academy.

Ministry of Social Welfare (MoSW), on the other hand, is implementing ‘Protection of Children at Risk (PCAR) project’ funded by UNICEF for the street, working and children in need of parental care from 2002. This project too, has provision of providing basic literacy and skill training to the target children to integrate them into the mainstream society. Besides, there is provision of basic education for the disable children under the department of Social Services (DSS) of the MSW. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has also some arrangements of providing training and holding of Sports competition for School, College and Madrasha students.

Ministry of Religious Affairs is operating Mosque and Temple based literacy programme. Minnistry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs are operating Pre-school Programmes through Para centres.

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The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Social Welfare, health and family planning have their National Plan of Action (NPA) and requisite strategies to implement their programs but inter-ministerial coordination and collaboration needs to be strengthened to maximize outputs by reducing overlapping of programs and activities in the respective areas.

3.3 Priority of education is addressed adequately in all national development frameworks of Bangladesh, like NPA II (2003-2015), NSAPR-2 etc. In convergence with MDG the government has developed the National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction, NSAPR-2, popularly referred to as the PRSP of Bangladesh, has given priority on Human Resource Development and set targets for adult literacy, such as the rate of adult literacy (15 + age group) will be increased up to 100% by 2015. Recognizing the strategic challenges of realizing EFA goals, besides formal primary education, the Government has developed a NFE Policy Framework to guide and ensure quality in all NFE activities. Priority of literacy is also emphasized in the Bangladesh United Nations Development Framework (UNDAF) report as well (Source: Report UNDAF 2006-2010, March 2005). The Mid-term Budget Framework (2008-09 to 2010-11) also asserted that literacy of the country would be increased up to 80% by 2010.

At the regional level, in most of the SAARC Summit, the Government recognized that illiteracy is one of the major causes impeding the development of the vast human resource potential of the region and a major factor contributing to the region's economic backwardness and social imbalance. They noted that the Member States had observed "1996 as the SAARC Year of Literacy" and reiterated their commitment to continue endeavors to eradicate illiteracy from the region. (Source: SAARC Summit-8, New Delhi, India, May 1995). The Heads of State also recognized that access to quality education was an important element for the empowerment of all segments of society, and undertook to develop or strengthen national strategies and action plans to ensure that all children particularly the girl child have access to quality primary education by 2015; and to improve levels of adult literacy by fifty percent by eliminating gender disparities in access to education (Source: SAARC Summit-11, Katmandu, Nepal, January 2002). The leaders also stressed that freeing South Asia from the scourge of illiteracy is a major objective of SAARC in the third decade of its activities. They called for effective measures to realize the SDGs, in particular universal primary education in the context of pursuing the Millennium Development Goals. (Source: SAARC Summit-13, Dhaka, Bangladesh, November 2005). The Heads of State also decided to strengthen cooperation and dialogue on educational matters through development of exchanges between academics, experts, policymakers, students and teachers. They called for inter-institutional cooperation, partnerships, and other regional initiatives in the field of education. (Source: SAARC Summit-14, New Delhi, India, April 2007).

The Second Ministerial Meeting of South Asia EFA Forum held in Bangladesh on 14 December 2009 focusing on Reaching the Unreached also emphasized on “Enforce the right to education for all effectively, if needed through amendment or fresh legislation, right to education for all; Review and reformulate education policies and practices to reach the un-reached; Examine the main causes of exclusion and barriers to education for the disadvantaged; groups;” The meeting also witnessed notable progress as indicated below:

Preparation of the National EFA plans through consultative processes with all stakeholders on strategies and policy development;

Continuous dialogue with International Agencies and Development Partners for enhancement of funding for bridging resource gaps;

Publication of National Mid Decade Assessment (MDA) reports with regional synthesis and sharing of the outcomes with all countries of the region;

Enhanced organizational and institutional capacity to meet the challenges ahead;

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Increased activities to implement continuous assessment, especially of learners’ performance and outcome as a basis for in-country and cross-country comparisons;

Developed linkages between formal and non-formal systems of education through equivalence;

Built professional partnerships between the Government, Non-government Organizations and Private sector for sharing resources, knowledge and practices to meet the challenges of the EFA and relevant Millennium Development Goals;

Significant improvement in enrollment and reducing illiteracy, particularly, of girls and women;

Increased efforts in each country for detailed costing of the Education Plans and its linkage with other national strategies and plans including the Country Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP);

Resources allocated for proactive gender sensitive programmes for quality education including literacy (Source: Second Ministerial Meeting of South Asia EFA forum on Reaching the un-reached with focus on decentralization, Dhaka Declaration on EFA, 14 December 2009).

3.4 The national commitment to basic education is reflected in increasing financial allocation and expenditure as well as enhancing the share of basic education in GDP. Education received 11.13 percent of the national budget in 1990-91; primary and mass education (PME) got 49.32 percent of it or 0.88 percent of GDP. The allocation for education was raised by 235.7 percent by 1995-96 from an absolute amount of Taka 14.94 billion to Tk. 35.92 billion, correspondingly PME allocation rose from Tk 7.37 billion to Tk. 17.78 billion (240%) the same year, 50.3 percent of education budget and a GDP share of 1.36 percent. In 2000 the figures rose to Tk.52.38 billion, 14.99 percent of total, with PME share at Tk 24.40 billion or 46.46 percent of education budget and 1.29 percent of GDP. In 2002-03 the PME share of Education budget has gone up to 55 percent (45.5 percent for primary education). (Source: Education for All, National Plan of Action (NPA II) 2003-2015).

However, Non-government Organizations (NGOs) have been receiving subventions from international sources mostly for combined programs on primary health care, population planning, nutrition, education/literacy/functional work skills, micro credit for income-generating activities including occupational assistance to the physically challenged. It is generally assumed that outside the development budgetary framework, approximately an equal amount of external assistance is being extended to ALE through the NGOs.

3.5 Education is a pre-requisite for promoting accelerated pro-poor growth. The acquisition of knowledge is the key catalytic agent for increased efficiency in productivity and for the fulfillment of human rights, including the right to work. Moreover, the impact of education in enhancing intergenerational benefits is universally recognized. Therefore literacy is addressed adequately in all national development frameworks of the country, like NPA, PRSP etc.

3.6 Key challenges: Though the Government of Bangladesh has been implementing Literacy Programs since its Independence (1971), but there are around half of the population of the country is still illiterate. According to the final report of NFE Mapping 2009, there are 37.35 million illiterates of 11-45 years age group in the country. Data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (Literacy Assessment Survey 2008) indicates that adult literacy rate in Bangladesh is 48.8 percent (15+ age group). At this point of time, there are about 52 million adults and adolescents who do not know how to read and write (UNESCO: 2005). Moreover the following issues are still to be resolved to make NFE a success in Bangladesh:

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Promoting and supporting inter-sectoral and inter-ministerial cooperation Developing or improving structures and mechanisms for the recognition, validation and

accreditation of all forms of learning, by establishing equivalency frameworks that encompass informal and non-formal learning.

Capacity-building and professional development of adult educators, through partnership with higher education institutions;

Having permanent physical infrastructure of Community Learning Centers at village/union/sub-district level

Establishing long-term and sustainable planning in NFE programs Establishing NFE Training Institute/Academy at national or district level Having permanent NFE officials/staffs at upazila (sub-district) level Introducing community based action plan in the Community Learning Centers Introducing flexible NFE delivery mechanism Decentralize management and planning in NFE sub-sector (Source: National Report for

Sixth International Conference on Adult Education-CONFINTEA VI).

Besides the above, strengthening the professional capacity of the public sector to provide policy guidance for NGO programs so as to better achieve EFA and MDG goals is also a priority. Outputs of NGO programs are not reflected in the official data thus leaving a dent in the actual progress achieved in education.

4. Institutional frameworks

4.1 Government: The Ministry of Primary and Mass Education has been mandated to manage, coordinate and oversight NFE programmes at the national level through the Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE). The Bureau facilitates the planning and implementation process of the NFE with support from GOs, NGOs, and broader civil society including DPs. The emphasis is on coordination of NFE activities by and among different Government and nongovernmental organizations.

The District Non-Formal Education Committee (DNFEC) is the first tier of project implementation system at the district level. The respective Deputy Commissioner is the chairman of the committee. Assistant Director, DBNFE, working at the District works as member secretary of the committee.

There is a committee known as Upazila Non-Formal Education Committee (UNFEC), which is the second tier of project implementation system at the local level is responsible for overall supervision and monitoring project activities at the Upazila level. Upazila Chairman is the chairperson of the committee while Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) is the Vice-Chairperson of the Committee. The Project Officer of the project works as member secretary of the committee.

For each Learning Center there is a Center Management Committee (CMC) comprising of 9 members to guide and direct for the better implementation of the program. There is also a Union Literacy Committee (ULC) headed by the Chairman of Union Parishad. A senior supervisor of the concern union nominated by the chairman is the member secretary of the ULC.

Besides the above, there is an Upazila Assessment Committee to asses learners’ performance at the centre level. The UNFEC selects the members of the committee as per the requirement. The committee is responsible to (a) conduct mid term and final assessment, (b) assess the competency of learners, (c) identify the qualified and disqualified learners, (d) suggest the implementers to take necessary corrective action for the weak learners after mid term and final assessment and (e) certify the qualified learners after the final assessment. (Source: National Report for Sixth International Conference on Adult Education-CONFINTEA VI).

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4.2 Other stakeholders: Both the World Conference on EFA at Jomtein and the Dakar Framework have rightly emphasized the importance of governments working with a variety of partners to achieve the challenging goals of EFA.

UN and other international development organizations: The government involves UNESCO as it is monitoring the progress of implementation of national EFA Plans in the DFA context. It also involves other UN agencies like UNDP and UNICEF as they engage in program support directly. The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank are involved in supporting various projects, both in the formal and non-formal sector. A good number of bilateral organizations are involved in the basic education programs. Their continued support is needed in dealing with the critical aspects of the programs. They all have made commitments at Dakar to continue to support basic education programs at national levels. The MoPME and the government would make every effort to benefit from these commitments through consultations and negotiations.

Non-Government Organizations: NGOs are involved in a big way in the government’s NFE program. NGOs also complement the government efforts by carrying out motivational works, multi-sectoral grassroots development activities like health, nutrition, family planning, environment improvement etc. as integrated components reinforce one another, carrying out specific programs in literacy, skill development and income generation for poverty reduction, mostly through non-formal channels.

Local communities: To ensure and enhance community participation BNFE has included the following activities in its projects: (a) conducting a baseline survey at the community level by deploying local educated youth and school teachers, (b) selection of location of learning center by the community, venue often donated by the community, (c) recruitment of teachers and supervisors from the community, and (d) establishing a Center Management Community (CMC) consisting of local elites, guardians of learners and NGO workers. Despite all the above the community participation has not reached the desired level. The CMCs have not proved to be any better than their counterparts, the SMC. The notion has reportedly persisted that the BNFE learning center is a government, and not a community activity. The degree of community and committee participation is being adjusted accordingly. Providing adequate orientation and training to the members of the Center Management is in the proposal. Gender ratio of these committees is also improved with inclusion of more women in the committee.

Higher education institutions: Inviting students and teachers from higher education institutions and share and elicit information and ideas with them in various workshops, share evaluation reports, findings of various studies, publications etc. must help create a supportive environment that will facilitate attainment of NPA II goals, both in quantitative and qualitative terms, leading to improvement of the entire education scenario of the country and development of a learning society. Therefore, participation and involvement of academicians in the expanded meetings of the National Council of Primary and Mass Education, EFA Forum etc. have been emphasized, so as to provide opportunities for exchange of ideas and views on the policies and strategies of basic education programs and provide feedback for improvement in the operation of the same.

4.3 Coordination: In usual practice Economic Relations Division (ERD) is the coordinating body of the Government for Development Partners . ERD is maintaining liaison with the Development Partners and the Ministry. There is a high-level coordination forum, “Bangladesh Development Forum” (BDF) that creates opportunity for government, development partners, civil society members, and private sector representatives to share mutual views and concern on different development projects being implemented in Bangladesh. On 15-16 February 2010, the Government of Bangladesh in collaboration with development partners organized this meeting in Dhaka. The objective of the meeting was for the government to share, and discuss with development partners, its long-term plan to reach middle income status by 2021 (Vision 2021);

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the content of its new National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction; and its proposed reforms and delivery priorities. The event was well attended by development partners, including 36 development agencies and donors, and more than 80 civil society and private sector representatives. It has been decided that this meeting will be arranged every year. (Source: General Economics Division (GED) Planning Commission Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, February, 2010).

Other than the above, the Local Consultative Group (LCG) is the coordination body of donors in Bangladesh contributing to the overall development of the country. Under the main LCG, there exist different sub groups of donors in Bangladesh providing support in specific thematic / development areas. The Local Consultative Sub Group on Education (ELCG) is the sub group providing support for education in Bangladesh. The ELCG started during the 1990s through the initiation of the General Education Project (1990-1996) to provide a forum for donors supporting education in Bangladesh and the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) to meet, discuss, and work together to develop policies and strategies for education, find ways to resolve problems mutually, and for better coordination and coherence between GOB and donors, and among donors themselves. The active participation of other stakeholders in the ELCG is a more recent phenomenon. The inclusion of NGOs began after 1998.

4.4 Key challenges: With regard to administrative reorganization, GOB has established the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE) with a new organizational orientation of professional management and partnership development in place of the Directorate of Non-Formal Education (DNFE) that was abolished in 2003. But there are still several challenges in the way of strengthening institutional setup and program implementation of NFE in the country. Some of these challenges include:

Developing or improving structures and mechanisms for the recognition, validation and accreditation of all forms of learning, by establishing equivalency frameworks that encompass informal and non-formal learning.

Capacity-building and professional development of adult educators, through partnership with higher education institutions;

Establishing permanent physical infrastructure of Community Learning Centers at village/union/sub-district level

Having long-term and sustainable planning in NFE programs Establishing NFE Training Institute/Academy at national or district level Having permanent NFE officials/staffs at upazila (sub-district) level.

5. Programs for youth/ adult literacy and development

5.1 Learner motivation: Motivational factors for the NFE learners to attend literacy class vary from learner to learner. Some of the learners pay interest to their personal development, some want to acquire vocational skills while many want to get a suitable job after having basic literacy and vocational skills. There are also learners who have other interest i.e. to be benefited from community support or want to use literacy skill as a means to ensure access to loans. However, in most cases, learners in the village setting, have multiple factors to be interested to attend literacy classes.

5.2 Content: The existing literacy program in the country is designed following the National Plan 0f Action (NPA-II, 2003-2015). The Dakar Framework for Action (DFA) goals and strategies, achievements of NPA I and basic education needs of the country in 2001 provided the framework for NPA II. DFA stipulated that national plans on EFA be developed by member

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countries by 2002. The government (PMED) started work on developing the NPA II early in 2001 in the context of the aforesaid framework by using the UNESCO guidelines on preparation of national plans. PMED established an EFA Technical Committee (TC) comprising representatives of the government, academia, education specialists and civil society, headed by the EFA National Coordinator [Joint Secretary (Development), PMED]. The TC selected seven thematic papers in light of DFA objectives and assigned seven individual experts (from academia, practitioners, NGOs, and civil society) to write the papers. The outlines were reviewed in a workshop with participation of stakeholder representatives and finalized on the basis of recommendations of a second workshop. The outputs served as background papers to preparation of the NPA II. (Source: Education for All: National Plan of Action II, 2003-2015).

The core content of the national adult literacy program include basic literacy, family and society, health, environment, nutrition and disease, child & maternal health, water & sanitation, HIV/AIDS, civic laws and rights, water and sanitation, culture and country, gender and development, life skills, human rights, vocational skills, income and employment etc.

Most of the important contents, as mentioned above are shared by all literacy programs in the country but some contents are tailored to local needs and contexts, including when addressing literacy of ethnic groups, street and working children and children of brothel and groups with special needs.

BNFE is working on equivalency issue allowing NFE learners to obtain qualifications and continue in formal education systems. A consulting firm has been assigned to work on several issues of the curriculum of basic literacy, post literacy and continuing education including equivalency issue under the Post Literacy and Continuing Education for Human Development (PLCEHD) Project -2 of BNFE.

5.3 Materials: What learning materials are made available? How are teaching/learning materials produced? Please describe the literate environment.

In different NFE projects, different basic literacy material comprising language (reading, writing listening and speaking), math and awareness are available. The Hard-to-Reach project also developed a set of workbooks on language and math for further practice of reading, writing and calculation with the basic literacy materials for the learners. There are numbers of supplementary reading materials, to enhance reading ability of the learners, are also available in Hard-to-reach and PLCEHD Project. PLCEHD-2 project also included newspapers, magazine/periodicals, trade related continuing education materials etc. in the learning centres.

5.4 Teaching methodology: Please describe the most commonly used teaching methodologies for adult literacy in your country.

Please discuss the effectiveness of these methods in terms of:

Enabling access to information; Developing analytical skills and critical thinking; Applying learning to the local environment, in terms of improving the quality of life; Helping learners develop relevant skills; Helping learners develop attitudes such as a healthy life style (including safe sexual

behaviour), civic awareness and practice; Expressing and communicating written information.

Most commonly used teaching methodologies for adult literacy in your country include: (a) Group discussion, (b) Group work, (c) Debate, (d) Lecture, (e) Question-answer, (f) General discussion, (g) Brain storming etc.

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Enabling access to information: Learners in the centres are supplied with newspaper, magazine/periodical etc. every month to get them updated about recent information. Besides, in every centre 125 supplementary reading materials are also supplied so that learners, while enhancing their knowledge base, become able to continue their literacy skills for further development. Developing analytical skills and critical thinking; Interactive learning methods are followed in the centre through discussion, debate, brain storming etc. so that analytical skills and critical thinking of the learners are developed through the NFE classes. Applying learning to the local environment, in terms of improving the quality of life: One of the important objectives of the PLCHED–II of BNFE is to improve the quality of life of the learners with the skills and competencies they acquire in the learning centre. As per the recent progress report of the Project 40% course completers have been employed in their respective trades and are in a better position than the past. (Project Implementation Progress Report, PLCHED-2, March 2010). Helping learners develop relevant skills: Apart from supplying 125 issue based supplementary materials, PLCHED-2 project of BNFE is in the process of distributing 16 trade based supplementary reading materials for the learners so that they, while enhancing their knowledge base, become able to develop their skills further. Helping learners develop attitudes such as a healthy life style (including safe sexual behaviour), civic awareness and practice: Importance of healthy life style (including safe sexual behaviour), civic awareness and practice are highlighted in the issues based contents in the post literacy course of the project. Discussions and sessions on these issues based contents are conducted by the local resource persons selected by the project. At least 72 discussions are scheduled on 20 issues based contents in the post literacy course of the PLCHED-2 Project. Expressing and communicating written information: As per the recent progress and performance report of the project, it is found that graduates of the project are well ahead in expressing and communicating their ideas in writing. 5.5 Educators/facilitators: Local inhabitants, female for the women groups and male for the male groups having minimum HSC level qualification, generally conduct literacy classes for the adults in Bangladesh under government interventions. Female candidate having SSC qualification may also be selected for conducting literacy classes provided there is no HSC graduates in the locality. Facilitators are provided 6 days basic training before staring literacy centre. They are also provided 3 days refreshers training during their job. Facilitators receive Tk. 200/= per day while attending basic and refreshers course. Presently one senior and one junior facilitator conduct literacy classes under the PLCHED-2 project. The senior facilitator receives Tk. 1,400/= and the junior receives Tk. 1,300/= per months as remuneration for conducting literacy classes. There are also supervisors to extend guidance to the facilitators as well as supervise their work in the literacy centers.

5.6 Language: Literacy classes are conducted in Bangla. Supplementary reading materials are also distributed adequately in all the literacy centers.

5.7 Access and Scale: Program effectiveness is presently made at three levels, (a) at the central level from the PLCHED –2 Project, how efficiently it is extending technical and financial support to the implementing NGOs (INGOs) in the field, (b) with the degree of effectiveness of implementing NGOs (INGOs) in implementing project activities and (c) with the performance of the learners attending literacy and continuing education centre.

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In PLCHED-2 project, performance of INGOs in implementing project activities are assessed monthly and quarterly following set criteria by the project while performance of learners is assessed quarterly administering test questionnaire developed by the supervisors following competencies prescribed in the basic literacy and trade course curriculum of the project.

5.8 Key challenges: What are your key challenges in program development and literacy provision?

NFE programs in Bangladesh are developed with the assistance from the international development partners. GOB has given priority to increase public fund to promote Adult Literacy and lifelong learning but since there is huge number of illiterate people in the country, it is big challenge for the government alone to manage NFE programs with the resources from the revenue budget at this stage.

Bureau of Non-Formal Education is the coordinating body for the NFE programmes. But in the usual practice, NGOs operate programs targeted at never-enrolled and dropout children, out-of-school adolescents, illiterate youth and adults and parallel programs within the public sector without any coordination with BNFE. Therefore NGO programmes not always cater the National Plan in a holistic manner. Therefore successful utilization of NGO efforts could be made through some sort of central coordination through BNFE. The professional capacity of the BNFE should be more strengthened to provide policy guidance for NGO programs so as to better achieve EFA and MDG goals is also a challenge for the government in NFE program development.

The teaching learning materials developed earlier focused more on attainment of literacy skills. Gender equity concepts included in the materials, from Chetona (from late 1980s) onwards, have either proved difficult to convey clearly or inadequate in coverage of all aspects. The matter requires an urgent in-depth review for improvement in all NFE materials (Source: Education for all: National Plan of Action-II, 2003-2015).

Internal assessments of NFE programs found the learners’ achievement in different subjects at over 90%. But outside assessments found that achievement score of learners in different subjects did not exceed 35% (equivalent of third division), which interestingly corresponds closely to the achievement scores in the FPE. On average the participants get to achieve only the lowest level of competency and what percentage of them do so is not very clear. This is an indication of the need for increasing internal efficiency, classroom transaction, better supervision and an overall improvement in the functioning of NFE programs, both in the public and private sectors. Adequate measures for internal testing and third party assessment of participants’ at terminal point should be instituted in the context of a national assessment system, which poses a big challenge developing future program in NFE sub-sector (Source: Education for all: National Plan of Action-II, 2003-2015).

6. Examples of programs

There are two effective programs being implemented at this stage under BNFE. These are (a) Basic education for Hard-to-Reach Urban Working Children (BEHTRUWC Project) and (b) Post Literacy and Continuing Education for Human Development-2 (PLCHED Project –2). Abridged accounts of the two programs are given below in the following table.

Sl/No Indicators Literacy Program - 01 Literacy Program - 02 01 Name of the Program BEHTRUWC Project PLCHED Project –2 02 Contact details Mr. Mujibor Rahman

Project Director, BEHTRUWC Project, 232/1, Tejgaon Industrial Area, BNFE Bhaban, Dhaka-

Mr. Jayadul Haque Molla, Project Director, PLCHED-2, 232/1, Tejgaon Industrial Area, BNFE Bhaban, Dhaka-1208. Tel:

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Sl/No Indicators Literacy Program - 01 Literacy Program - 02 1208. Tel: 9862995, Email: behtruwc@bttb.net.bd

9862995, 01715616743 (Mobile) Email: plcehd-2@bttb.net.bd

03 Objectives (a) To provide quality non-formal, life-skills-based basic education to 1,66000 urban working children and adolescents ages 10 to 14 years of which at least 60% are girls. (b) To provide 15,000 (out of 1,66,000) urban working children and adolescents (13+ age group) with livelihood skills training, and access to support systems to ensure optimally use of life-skills-based basic education to improve their life. (c) Advocate at City and National levels for education, social and economic policies in favour of working children and their families and for protecting children from hazardous working environment. (d) Increase awareness of all relevant stakeholders to act in favour of elimination of child labor.

(a) To develop human resources; (b) To include about 1.6 million neo-literates in post literacy programs to consolidate, maintain, and upgrade the literacy skills they have acquired previously; (c) To help develop their life pattern by increasing their incomes through providing technical skills training; (d) To eliminate gender disparity and establish social equitable through expediting women empowerment; (e) To involve the target population in a life-long educational process and to develop them as enlightened and productive citizens; (f) To prepare a long-term planning for human resource development, and (g) To strengthened the capacity of BNFE and other agencies involved in NFE.

04 Target and age groups 0.2 million urban working children of 10-14 years age group of which 60% are girls.

1.6 neo-literate and dropouts of age group 11-45 years with emphasis to the age group 15-24 of which 50% are female.

05 Language of instruction Bangla Bangla 06 The focus of the program

(e.g. agriculture and vocational skills, civics, life skills, health etc.)

Basic literacy, awareness, vocational skills and life skills

Basic literacy, awareness, vocational skills, life skills, etc)

07 Materials and use of ICTs

(a) Basic literacy material on language, math, and awareness. (b) Set of workbooks on language and math for further practice of reading, writing and calculation (c) Supplementary reading materials to enhance reading ability of the learners

(a) Basic literacy material comprising language, math, and awareness. (b) Supplementary reading materials (c) Newspapers, magazine/periodicals, and trade related continuing education materials.

08 Teaching methodologies Group teaching, debate, discussion and question-answer

Discussion, debate, group work, question-answer, brain storming etc.

09 Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms

10 Community involvement CMC constituted from the local community

CMC constituted from the local community

11 Scale (number of targeted learners)

0.2 millions 1.6 millions

12 Duration July 2004 – June 2012 July 2007 – June 2013

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Sl/No Indicators Literacy Program - 01 Literacy Program - 02 13 Unit costs 14 Funding sources UNICEF and GOB ADB and GOB 15 Diplomas/qualifications

and equivalency with formal education

Learning achievement: Grade-V for Bangla, Social Studies and Life Skills and grade-III for Math, English.

Grade III

16 The percentage of course completers

Phase-I was started in 2008 and already graduated 61,729 learners (male 97.4% and female 97.8%)

Phase-II & III course started in 20 districts with 3,07,220 learners, among them 40% course completers employed in respective trades.

17 Long term impact on learners’ lives.

Working children and adolescents have better access to their rights for education, protection, participation, and development through the life-skill-based basic education and livelihood programs. Accessing these rights empowers children to make decisions regarding their own futures and accesses to a wider range of life options.

7. Monitoring and evaluation

7.1 Literacy Assessment: How are literacy rates calculated in your country? Has your country undertaken a literacy survey in the past 5 years? If yes, describe results and recommendations.

The literacy status of the population was determined by administering a literacy test to a stratified random sample of the population 11 years and above following the methodology similar to one adopted in Education Watch 2002 and Assessment of Literacy Status in Bangladesh 2005. In 2008 Literacy Assessment Survey was conducted to address the issue of reliable benchmark data on adult literacy status in Bangladesh. This survey was conducted with UNESCO's technical and financial support. The Survey of 2008 can be considered as a continuation of the above studies to provide basis for comparing the changes over time (Source: Literacy Assessment Survey-2008, BBS, UNESCO, November, 2008).

Summary of some key findings from the Literacy Assessment Survey 2008 include:

The Literacy Assessment Survey 2008 found overall literacy rate 49.7 percent for population 11 years and over. For the population over 15+ age groups, the literacy rate is found to be 48.8 percent.

The difference between male and female literacy rates is small, where male 48.6 percent and female 49.1 percent. Female literacy rate for the first time surpassed male literacy rate, which may be considered as the impact of several gender sensitive programs undertaken by the government and other agencies.

Rural literacy rate (47.1 percent) is found to be much lower than that of urban areas (58.1 percent). However, a sharp decrease in literacy of urban adult males is observed. In 2005, literacy rate for urban males was 62.7 percent, which now stands at 56.7 percent.

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Advanced level literacy (30.2 percent) is found higher compared to initial level literacy (18.6 percent) in both rural and urban areas. Proportion of population at different levels of literacy varies across rural and urban areas of six administrative divisions.

Literacy level of adults (15+ years) is highest in Chittagong (54.8 percent) and lowest in Sylhet (43.9 percent) (Source: Literacy Assessment Survey-2008, BBS, UNESCO, November, 2008).

Following important recommendations were drawn from the Literacy Assessment Survey of 2008.

Regional variation calls for identification of factors for low level of literacy in many geographic locations and implementing interventions for such areas.

Although some progress has been made, the adult literacy rate is still low for Bangladesh. However, if the present trend continues, then 95 percent literacy rate would be attained by 2020. Although the gender parity has already been achieved, special attention should be paid to adult males in urban areas as the literacy rate tend to be declining.

Education is the major contribution to literacy. Expanded opportunities for male and female in vocational pursuits would further increase literacy and their contribution to national development.

Poverty situation remains a big threat to increase the literacy rate. The poverty issue has to be addressed as a necessary support to literacy. School environment and facilities need to be up-graded to entice the poor children having apathy to school education.

To accelerate the growth of literacy, mere increase of access to education is not enough. More emphasis and efforts are needed to ensure quality of education so that all primary school graduates turn out to be literate, whereas at present 40 percent remain illiterates even after completing primary education (Source: Literacy Assessment Survey-2008, BBS, UNESCO, November, 2008).

7.2 Program Evaluation: Adult literacy programs in the country are evaluated mostly through sub-contracting third-party external evaluator by the respective project. Generally stratified sampling technique is used under the framework of Integrated Multipurpose sample (IMPS) design of BBS in collecting data from the field. The competent staff members of the respective consulting firm/firms perform requisite data collection and assessment as require. A strict quality control protocol is applied to ensure the quality of data.

Generally information expected to present in most evaluations of NFE projects include: (a) Information in relation to efficiency of the project in delivering supports to the filed, (b) Information in relation to efficiency of the implementing NGO in implementing project in the field, (c) Information on performance level of the target population and (d) Information on building up national capacities in implementing literacy program by the government and other providers in the country.

7.3 Information Management System for Literacy and NFE: NFE program data of the government and NGOs are not collated and therefore, there is no one single reliable national database on current and potential target population of NFE/basic education or on-going activities or actual coverage. Both the Bureau of Non-formal Education (its implementing partners) and NGOs make pre-project baseline survey in the selected project areas before initiating planned project activities but data are often not shared to their mutual benefit DNFE has its own MIS and maintains data about its own projects. It does not collect, receive (except for its own projects) or maintain national information base about NGO NFE programs (Source: Education for all: National Plan of Action-II, 2003-2015). So at this stage the respective projects

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of Literacy and NFE of the BNFE have their own Management Information System (MIS) to collect relevant and timely data on providers, programs, educators and learners.

In the case of present Post Literacy and Continuing Education for Human Development (PLCHED) Project-2, the Project Implementation and Monitoring Unit (PIMU) has already set-up an MIS Cell for proper monitoring of the project. Meanwhile the project has sub-contracted Monitoring Partner Agencies (MOPAs), one for each division, to collect relevant data from the field to complement to the requirement of the PIMU.

Besides, the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) have been entrusted to develop MIS database for PLCEHD-2 project to support for management and monitoring functions of the project activities. Their responsibilities include-

Development of data collection format Development of application software for data entry and processing. Data entry and process Report generation Development of monitoring data collection format Monitoring data collection, data entry and processing Monitoring report generation.

For project monitoring LGED has already trained up their 210 Community Organizers (CO) and completed 1st phase of 10% data collection from the learning centers (Source: PLCHED-2 Project Implementation Progress Report, March 2010).

7.4 Outcomes of literacy programs: No specific impact study was done on adult literacy program implemented by the government under the BNFE but there were other studies like assessments of literacy programs etc. were conducted under private and public initiatives. Some studies were conducted on the success of basic literacy courses of Total Literacy Movement (TLM) program of BNFE that raised questions about the efficacy and sustainability of learning skills gained from participation in basic literacy courses of TLM. The questions relate to “the quality of pedagogy, learning materials, degree of participation, and method of assessing and reporting learning achievement in TLM” (PMED, 2001b). Another study (Literacy In Bangladesh: Need For A New Vision, CAMPE, June, 2003) reported, Adult literacy programs of the type prevalent in Bangladesh, TLM being the principal one, as exclusive means of acquiring literacy, seem to have a minor impact in improving the literacy status of the population. TLM was a time-bound campaign mode program, intended to provide basic literacy skills to participants on a large-scale in a short time at the least cost. The ability of a wide range of participants, aged 11–45 years, to absorb and internalize the learning skills from the same lessons provided under TLM is bound to vary, so would the level and extent of their absorption and sustainability. (Source: Education for All: National Plan of Action-2, 2003-2015).

7.5 Key challenges: There is no standard literacy assessment criterion in the country. It is same for monitoring and evaluation criteria as well. Unless there is a national base of literacy assessment, monitoring and evaluation criteria, it will remain a challenge to justify effectiveness of any literacy program implemented either public or private initiatives in the country.

The curricula/syllabus and teaching learning materials of NFE have not been standardized. Since no recognized authority has validated the different versions of NFE syllabus and materials of GOB and NGOs, the question of their quality and comparability remains unresolved. Standardization of curriculum is the first step of establishing an acceptable equivalence in the level of competency achieved by learners of BNFE and different NGOs programs and with formal primary education.

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8. Commitment for the Future

8.1 Education is a fundamental right of human being. Illiteracy and poverty, and absence of democratic values, institutions and norms are known to cause hindrances to participatory development and progress. The Government of Bangladesh Both internationally (as a signatory to MDG and Dakar Framework for Action 2000) and Constitutionally committed to achieve Education for All. Besides, present Government is committed through its Election Manifesto to achieve total literacy by the year 2014 and accordingly 3 development projects has been undertaken covering the total population.

8.2 Recognizing the strategic challenges of realizing EFA goals, alongside the formal primary education, the Government has developed through an extensive participatory process a NFE Policy Framework to guide and ensure quality in all NFE activities. EFA national plan of action or NPA II (2003-2015) has been developed. Major focus of the NPA-II, with respect to scaling-up non-formal education in the country include:

Establish programs of appropriate learning, life skills and work skills to meet the learning needs of all young people and adults, and ensure their access, participation and successful completion of relevant courses;

Increase adult literacy rate (among persons of 15 to 45 years of age) from 62% in 2000 to 90% (95% for age group 15-24) by 2015 (reducing adult illiteracy by half, MDG), especially for women, through equitable access to quality basic and continuing education for all youth and adults;

Sustain and enhance the present gender-parity in primary and improve parity for girls in secondary education to achieve gender equity in education by 2005 and gender equality in 2015 by ensuring full and equal access of boys and girls to and achievement in basic education of good quality;

Improve the quality and excellence of basic education in all respects and ensure achievement of recognized and measurable learning outcomes by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills; and

Institute an agreed core of equivalence between formal and non-formal basic education sub-sectors and among different streams of formal sub-sector, public, NGO and private programs to ensure comparable standard of quality of education across the board and transferability from non-formal to formal and between streams to enable those who want to join the mainstream and continue further education or switch from one stream to another to pursue a chosen career path.

It is to be mentioned that the Second Ministerial Meeting of South Asia EFA Forum held in Bangladesh on 14 December 2009 focusing on Reaching the Unreached witnessed notable progress in non-formal education in the country over the time. The meeting concluded that there has been (1) Preparation of the National EFA plans; (2) Continuous dialogue for enhancement of funding for bridging resource gaps; (3) Publication of National Mid Decade Assessment (MDA) reports with regional synthesis; (4) Enhanced organizational and institutional capacity; (5) Increased activities to implement continuous assessment, especially of learners’ performance and outcome; (6) Developed linkages between formal and non-formal systems of education through equivalence; (7) Partnerships between the Government, Non-government Organizations and Private sector to meet the challenges of the EFA and relevant MDGs; (8) Significant improvement in enrollment and reducing illiteracy; (9) Increased efforts in each country for detailed costing of the Education Plans and its linkage with other national strategies and plans including the PRSP; (10) Resources allocated for proactive gender sensitive programmes for quality education including literacy (Source: Second Ministerial Meeting of

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South Asia EFA forum on Reaching the un-reached with focus on decentralization, Dhaka Declaration on EFA, 14 December 2009).

Present Government is committed through its Election Manifesto to achieve total literacy by the year 2014. The government of Bangladesh is firmly determined to make the country as digital Bangladesh. Priority is given Present Government is committed through its Election Manifesto to achieve total literacy by the year 2014. The government of Bangladesh is firmly determined to make the country as digital Bangladesh. Priority is to make illiteracy free from the soil of this country. It is committed to enroll 100% of school age children by 2011 and to eradicate 100% illiteracy by 2014 to make illiteracy free from the soil of this country. It is committed to enroll 100% of school age children by 2011 and to eradicate 100% illiteracy by 2014.

Mid-term Budget Framework (2008-09 to 2010-11) also asserted that, the rate of literacy of the country would be increased up to 80% by 2010. Resource allocation for achieving the target of NFE by 2015 is also planned component-wise in the NPA-II as presented below:

Cost of the Plan by sub-sector and Program Components (need-based): Tk. In millions Implementation Cost by Programs and Phases

Components 2003-2005 2005-2010 2010-2015 20% Cost Escalation

Total

NFE NFBE 15,398 46,197 30,793 9,239 101,627NFBE skills training 1,227 4,245 5,736 2,242 13,450OSA/Y 300 100 0 40 440Young adults 4,688 18,062 12,378 7,025 42,154Adults 4,872 14,617 9,742 2,923 32,154Adults Skills training 350 1,569 1,289 642 3,850PLCE (lump sum) 2,565 4,617 4,078 2,252 13,512NFPE HRD 250 450 400 220 1,320NFE study, evaluation, etc 150 45O 450 210 1,260NFE equipments, books 250 500 500 250 1,500NFE curriculum, materials 2,760 4,415 3,725 2,180 13,080Total 32,810 94,772 69,091 27,223 224,347* Includes 15% overhead for the NFE sub-sector part, Tk. 3,870 million Source: Education for All: National Plan of Action-II, 2003-2015).

8.3 There should be provision of exchange programs among the E-9 countries to share NFE experience among them. Some study tour, training program etc. for the personnel involved in NFE program implementation can also be arranged among the E-9 countries. Besides, the best practices in the field of NFE can also be replicated in addressing the challenges of accelerating the progress towards EFA Goal 4 among different E-9 countries.

8.4 It is envisaged that having made all necessary efforts and investments as listed in the National Plan of Action-II (NPA-II)-2003-2015, and in the Dhaka Declaration, 2009, the scenario in relation to EFA Goal-4 in 2015 and beyond will encompass the following (Source: Education for All: National Plan of Action-II, 2003-2015):

(i) An informed, knowledge-based and learning society for all is in process of taking firm roots– facilities are available for enhancing learning and gaining appropriate employable and life skills through formal, non-formal and informal education mechanisms;

(ii) All pre-school children, 3-5 years of age, are attending ECCE programs of some kind and have access to programs of health, nutrition, social, physical and intellectual development, and being initiated into formal education;

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(iii) All primary school-age children (6-10 years), boys and girls, including ethnic minorities, disadvantaged and disabled, are enrolled and successfully completing the primary cycle and achieving quality education;

(iv) Adequate scope exists for primary level graduates to go on to secondary education and beyond; children can plan and pursue their career path and switch from one stream of education to another of their choice at any level;

(v) All residual illiterate and semi-literate young persons and adults have access to learning opportunities – basic education, adult literacy, post-literacy and continuing education, including skills development for gainful wage or self-employment;

(vi) All primary level institutions, formal and non-formal, offer standardized and quality basic education, providing a strong foundation which prepares children and others to face challenges in higher education, training and broader life with confidence and success; equivalence between formal and non-formal basic education and between different streams within each firmly established at all levels;

(vii) Gender equality in basic education, for teachers as well as learners, is a normal phenomenon, both in the institutions and homes of children as well as the broader society;

(viii) All children enrolled in basic education level institutions have access to health, nutrition, water and sanitation, cultural, social development and similar other services and activities, which ensure a healthy learning and living environment for better life; are involved in school management and decision-making processes; and they are all aware of the dangers of and ways of dealing with HIV/AIDS, arsenic contamination and such others;

(ix) Poverty is substantially reduced (at least by 50% of 2000 level, refer MDG) through and as a result of quality basic education and selective skills development training, in conjunction with and measures taken for eradication of poverty in other sectors of development, both public and private, particularly NGOs;

(x) The government, NGOs, broader civil society, the community and other stakeholders share the responsibility and work in conjunction to achieve the EFA national goals and also share and exchange information on their respective programs through MIS and GIS systems established in the government and non-government sectors;

(xi) There is transparency and accountability in program development, organization and management, financial transactions, and in activities of managers, supervisors and teachers as well as the SMC members and all others involved, both in the government and non-government education sectors; and

(xii) Community cohesion and democratic practices and norms are visible features of all institutions in the society, both at the local and national levels, people enjoying the fundamental human rights and participating in local level planning, organizing and managing as well as ensuring quality of basic education and training and other development efforts of the government, NGOs, private sector and the civil society providing a minimum acceptable level of quality of life for all.

8.5 Bangladesh will surely support a declaration of the E-9 collective commitment to drastically accelerate actions to achieve EFA Goal 4 at the 8th Ministerial Review Meeting because the EFA goals are quite in line with Bangladesh aspirations.

Bangladesh introduced the Universal Primary Education (UPE) program on a limited scale and a Mass Education Program (MEP) earlier in 1981 to enhance access to primary education and spread of literacy. Revised and new projects will be undertaken under NPA II, as necessary, to fully achieve the EFA goals by 2015 in line with DFA and UN Millennium Development Goals (Source: National Plan of Action-II, 2003-2015).