Education Program | ywca of bangladesh

Education

Advocacy

Education the continuous process of gaining knowledge and acquiring collective competencies ensures the development of life skills along with the achievement of physical, mental and social development. YWCA of Bangladesh believes that it is the most dependable means and ways to enhance the scope of enabling the development of a responsible and thoughtful society. Its aftermaths help in the creation of a healthy society that bears a deep understanding of principles and the philosophy of life. But it is very much sad for us that most of the people are deprived of proper education.

Being illiterate, they are adopting negative approach towards life and cannot handle the situations of their life in a better way. They are also incapable of fulfilling all the responsibilities towards his family, society and country. With this point of view as to producing productive human resources, YWCA of Bangladesh is conducting need based education program over the years.

It has been generating access to education mostly for girls and children from the disadvantaged communities. Supplementing national efforts of building illiteracy-free society and creating productive human resources is one of the pivotal objectives of YWCA of Bangladesh. It established nursery schools in 12 of its local branches. The services under the education program of YWCA of Bangladesh are divided into two categories such as – pay schools and free schools.

Pay School

The objective of pay school is to provide quality education, and unfold spiritual, intellectual and creative abilities of the students.

YWCA aims to attain the objective by providing quality education through use of modern curriculum by trained teachers in congenial environment. Almost all the schools run by YWCA in Bangladesh are nursery and primary schools except for Dhaka.

The YWCA of Dhaka has expanded its school upto HSC level. Excellent performance of students of selected schools of several branches in Primary School Certificate (PSC), Junior School Certificate (JSC) Secondary School Certificate Examination and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) examinations for the last consecutive years has enhanced the image of the YWCA schools particularly in cities like Dhaka and Chittagong.

Number of Syudents of Different Pay Schools

Name of local YWCAs Number of Students

2008 2009 2010

Dhaka YWCA (play group – HSC) 3793 3841 3985

Chittagong YWCA (play - five) 648 800 893

Pabna YWCA (play – class two) 364 430 460

Comilla YWCA (play – class five) 2337 2457 2477

Barisal YWCA (play – class three) 895 842 651

Khulna YWCA (play – class four) 119 121 153

Chandpur (play – class three) 535 645 655

Birisiri YWCA (play – class four) 64 81 73

Jessore YWCA (play – class three) 99 121 156

Goplaganj (play – class two) 58 90 112

Khagrachari (play – class two) 176 199 230

Dinajpur YWCA (play – class two) 47 56 72

Savar YWCA (play – class two) - 50 142

Bangladesh YWCA (play –class four) 769 870 965

Total 9,904 10,603 11,024

The schools are situated at YWCA campuses - either on own or rented space at suitable locations in majority cases. The schools are equipped with modern education materials, and adequate furniture and other facilities. In addition to government prescribed curricula, suitable additional curricula are followed for development of faculties of the students. There are information and communication facilities and provision for sports and suitable entertainment in most of the schools.

In these school special preferences are given for girl students. In most of the YWCA schools, male and female student enrollment ratio is 20:80. Boys are allowed to study upto class two (in some schools upto the primary level) only. The uniform formal education system that Local YWCAs follow throughout the country has gone through continuous improvement during the past years. This, coupled with trained and experienced teachers, has brought them an average success rate of about 80%. The main reasons behind the success achieved include the following: (a) Provision of quantitative and quality education. (b) Prevalence of

Enrollment Status of Free School Students

Name of the branch No. of students

2008 2009 2010

Dhaka 465 482 494

Chittagong 422 436 496

Pabna 112 108 97

Comilla 160 197 193

Barisal 140 174 272

Khulna 93 149 134

Chandpur 175 235 160

Gopalganj 27 60 59

Total 1687 1873 1905

opportunity of cultural development and extra curriculum activities (c) Appointment of competent teachers (d) Modern education curriculum (e) Proper direction from management (f) Adequate care of the students taken by the teachers (g) Maintenance of strict disciplines (h) Prevalence of congenial environment for education in the school campuses.

Besides, formal education various other programs like art, dance and music classes are organized for the students. To create a learning atmosphere and enjoyable environment, most of the schools arrange various programs like; science fair, winter fair (Poush Mela), art competition, Bengali New Years Day Pohela Boishakh); observe various national and international days like; Girls Child Day, World AIDS Day, World Literacy Day, World Health Day, International Mother Language Day, Victory Day, Independence Day and so on.

Lesson plans based on the curricula are regularly prepared and followed by the teachers. Weekly and three term examinations in a year are regularly held. At the year-end the students are awarded with prizes for excellent performance in the examinations and extra curriculum activities.

The teachers are adequately trained to offer quality education to target people and there is an inbuilt mechanism to update teachers’ skills through training at two years interval. The Education consultant based at the National level regularly visits the schools at local YWCAs, arranges training for the teachers for upgrading their skills and knowledge and provides necessary guidance and support to improve quality if teaching and management.

Besides, to support the comparatively weaker schools, exposure visits or special training courses are organized. School management is a crucial part of running a school. Therefore, review workshops/seminars or trainings are organized for the Headmistresses and Principals.

Free School

With an objective to offer quality education up to grade- V to underprivileged children and increase literacy rate in the target community and to increase awareness of education (both primary and higher) among the students and their parents, the YWCA of Bangladesh initiated free school program in 1984.

The main strategies followed for achieving the programme objectives will include the following:

Awareness building on education.
Extend quality education through use of modern curriculum by trained teachers in congenial environment.
Education support (uniform, books, study materials, food) for free-school students.
Financial supports/ stipend for meritorious students for higher studies.

The free schools ensure quality education for the students. To avoid discrimination, the curriculums used in pay schools are followed to a great extent in the free schools. Special sessions are taken for students who are comparatively weak or do not have the environment at home to study. Children there are given uniforms, books and other study materials. To supplement nutritional needs students are given snacks like bread, banana, high protein biscuits , hotchpotch etc. However, the frequency of distribution of food depends on the capacity of the local YWCAs.

The free schools are upto class five. To encourage and to help the students to continue further education the best 20 students (in Dhaka only) according to their scores in the final exam of class five are selected and supported with monthly stipend to study upto SSC level. Students with outstanding results at the SSC level are further supported to continue study at the HSC level and beyond.

YWCA also links students with organizations who provide various skill development programs like; welding, carpenter, motor mechanic etc. and organizations those provide special scholarship for hard to reach children and adolescents.

The schools arrange special events like; sports day, art exhibition, science fair, parents day, exposure, day out, cultural events etc.

Besides special classes on music, dance, art are also organized for the students.

YWCA believes, an enlightened mother can change the entire community. Therefore, it arranges special sessions on health issues, women rights issues, child and mother health care etc for the mothers of the students. Gradually, they are brought under the savings groups.

Functional Literacy Program

Functional literacy program initiated by YWCA of Bangladesh is mostly demand driven and comprehensive non-formal education to bolster the functional application of literacy skills of the target groups through post literacy and continuous education. In the frame of uplifting social and professional status of the beneficiaries, it has such four major objectives as –

(i) motivating their inner beings to build productive personality (ii) reorienting existing education to pursue sustainable development (iii) giving rise to social understanding & awareness and (iv) training for enhancing professional knowledge, capability and know-how in line with the needs of livelihood development.

From the inception of functional literacy program, YWCA of Bangladesh is focusing on

sustaining quality of reading, writing and counting as well as capacity building that relates directly to scaling up useful life skill. Through this program, underprivileged women are being empowered gradually learning to read the newspaper, write letters, figure accounts and develop skills necessary for fulfilling their expected roles in their households and community. Girls are being encouraged to learn regarding different social issues like gender development, nutrition, general health care, reproductive health and handicrafts. Consequently, the target groups are able to learn how to cope with existing social and financial shocks and problems.

Ten of the local YWCAs run literacy classes on a regular basis. 15-20 women and young girls are usually enrolled in one group for an eight months course. During this period 280 women distributed in 18 groups completed eight months course and 150 learners in 08 groups are still continuing their courses. About 85 % of the total learners completed their course successfully.

Reports shows that completion of the course not only enabled them to read and write but at the same time gave them confidence to think, work and take decisions independently. Women who were not able to read and write are now able to read, do simple calculations, can help their small kids or grand children in studies. It made their life more meaningful.

In the light of the long experience of YWCA, functional literacy program is very much necessary in developing positive attitudes for improving living standard of the neo-literate women and girls. This education program is very much helpful for maintaining values and perspectives that encourage and support public participation and make them involved with community decision making as well. In the course of providing services as to functional literacy, YWCA’s beneficiaries are being able to attain critical-thinking skills, skills to organize and interpret data & information, skills to formulate questions and the ability to analyze issues that confront communities. Then curriculum not only includes reading and writing but also provides information on health, child care, nutrition, maternal health, women's rights, prevention of early marriage, marriage registration, conflict resolution, citizen's rights, environment, HIV/AIDS awareness etc. It also creates a platform for the women to share their stories, experiences and create opportunities to become organized and take collective actions.

Besides, YWCA also distributes magazines especially designed for the neo-literates to encourage and retain their reading habits.

This magazines contain information about health, agriculture, rights, family law, stories, embroidery, cooking recipes and many other subjects that are related to their practical lives.

In the year 2009-10, YWCA of Bangladesh executed functional literacy program concerning a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their personal goals, develop their knowledge & potential and to participate fully in the wider society. It endeavored to create constructive conditions and facilities that they were nourishing their literacy. In addition to this, the beneficiaries were stimulated for continuing to use reading, writing and calculation for their own and the community's development. Monitoring reports show that around 70% of the learners who completed their course are keeping the habit of studying and helping others in reading and writing.

Functional Literacy Program (July 2009 – June 2010)

Sl.No Name of YWCAs Total

Group

Total No of

Learners

Drop

out

Total No

of Married

Learners

Total No of

Learners

Completed the

Course

Total No.

of Learners

Continuing the

Course

01. Barisal YWCA 04 80 07 80 33 40

02. Birisiri YWCA 02 40 04 37 16 20

03. Chandpur YWCA - - - - - -

04. Chittagong

YWCA 02 40 04 40 16 20

05. Comilla YWCA 01 20 04 20 16 -

06. Dhaka YWCA 03 60 07 60 13 40

07. Jessore YWCA 02 40 - 40 20 20

08. Khagrachary

YWCA 04 70 05 70 35 30

09. Khulna YWCA 04 80 01 80 39 40

10. Pabna YWCA 02 40 06 40 14 20

11. Savar YWCA - - - - - -

Adolescent Development Program

The in-depth perception of YWCA of Bangladesh has been making it walk towards ensuring brighter futures for disadvantaged adolescents from the very beginning. The aftermath of this endeavor is carrying out especial development activity in the name of adolescent development program. Through this program, adolescent girls are being provided with more opportunities to stand tall through earning a position they deserve in their family and community.

YWCA of Bangladesh mapped out adolescent development program setting the priority on fostering youth development to recognize adolescents’ need for both ongoing support and challenging opportunities. In the course of normal maturation during the period of adolescence, some of changes make them anxious, uneasy and fearful leading them to be isolated from their families and society. With this unexpected and startling situation, they think that they are extremely helpless. Considering all of the vulnerabilities of adolescents especially to emotional shakiness and ill health, adolescent development program is shaking up

their inner beings to be aware of their potential futures. Making them attend the regular sessions, adolescents are being provided with the real life education and training. Concurrently, they are being also oriented on different social and life skill development issues spotlighting gender awareness, reproductive health literacy, prevention of early marriage & dowry, stopping child abuse, general health care, water & sanitation, nutrition, tree plantation, environment awareness and the list goes on. To contribute to social welfare, they are inspired to take active participation in different social actions, networking and advocacy with their collective efforts under this adolescent development program. Thus, they are serving their communities and sometimes to mobilize other adolescents and peers for being participant in the movement of sound health and sound mind.

Counting on vivid experience and commitment, YWCA of Bangladesh has been turning target into reality phenomenally in enhancement and continuation of adolescent development programs with various dimensions. It is creating and sustaining a friendly environment

consecutively for the adolescent girls. YWCA of Bangladesh thinks strongly that there is no alternative of effective adolescent development program in building awareness of successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. Under this program, it is maintaining its dedication to increasing the quality and quantity of youth development efforts by providing a series of need based and adolescent friendly supports. As a part of ensuring life skill development for the beneficiaries, adolescent development program are always intending to address larger youth programming issues, for instance – leadership development and making them work with numerous community agencies, social welfare organizations, local business & educational institutions and an immensely diverse group of youth service providers. The outcome is that, adolescent girls are being empowered to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives and to become active agents of social pragmatic change.

Five of the local YWCAs are running eighteen months Adolescent Development course. The classes are organized in adolescent centers located in their community. Usually, the centre is in a house of a beneficiary which is located in their community and acceptable to the girls and especially their parents.

During the period, a total number of 106 girls were organized under 07 groups successfully completed the full course. Besides, another 04 groups with 80 girls are continuing classes.

This year about 75 % Adolescent girls have completed their formal course (One year and six months). After completion the formal course 23 girls were enrolled in regular schools.

This course has proved to be beneficial for the adolescents. This is an opportunity for the dropouts to come back to schools. This eighteen months long course makes the learners capable for taking admission in class four.

Apart from general education the things they learn about life and livelihood i.e. reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, women’s rights, environment, livelihood skills have a far reaching affect. Also they demand their social protection from the society. Especially, they protest against ‘Eve Teasing’. All these help to change their views about life and give them the strength to think positive about life and built their life in a meaningful way.