EFA Coordination and Policy Formulation
UNESCO Dhaka supported MOPME in preparation of National Plan of Action for EFA (2003-2015) after the Dakar EFA Conference in 2000 and conducting EFA mid-decade assessment in 2007. Assistance was also provided to Ministry of Education for developing the national education policy in 2010 through a series of consultations organized by the Task Force consisted of education experts in the country. The policy was endorsed by the Parliament and published in both Bangla and English for wide distribution in the country by the Ministry with support from UNESCO Dhaka.
UNESCO Dhaka assisted Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MOPME) to organize the Second Ministerial Meeting of the South Asia EFA Forum in 2009. The main focus of the Meeting was the strategies to reach the un-reached and decentralized education management. In the ‘Dhaka Declaration’, the forum made a pledge to allocate at least 6 percent of the GDP in education. The final report of the Ministerial meeting was disseminated to the governments and NGOs of member states as well as development partners. At the same time, there was little follow up at the country level and also regional level including the proposed 3rd Forum Meeting which was agreed to be organized in India in 2011.
The Global Action Week (GAW) has been observed every year to promote Education for All. In 2008-2011 The GAW were celebrated in close collaboration with Bangladesh National Commission for UNESCO, Bureau of Non-Formal Education and Campaign for Popular Organization (CAMPE) along with other NGO partners to address the thematic area as a part of broader advocacy in the country. Every year a number of activities such as rallies are organized in many parts of the country to mark the GAW. The aim is to make people aware on the thematic issue as well as Media Professionals Forum for EFA, Policy Roundtable, Press Conference, Education fair, seminars etc were organized.
During the Global Action Week the EFA Global Monitoring Report (GMR) was formally launched every year including a publication ceremony by the MOPME, UNESCO, the Board of Trustees of Transparency International Bangladesh and Dhaka University in 2008. Since 2008, with the partnership of CAMPE and UNESCO club the Summary of GMR have been shared through organization of division level workshops at the six divisions of Bangladesh, emphasizing the importance of achieving EFA goals by 2015.
Capacity Building for Education for All (Cap EFA) initiatives in Bangladesh
Bangladesh has substantial resources and experiences in NFE through its long history, but there have been varieties of delivery approaches, content and personnel by government and NGOs usually developed under time and budget bound projects. There has been little effort by government or NGOs to coordinate or sustain different project initiatives and resources developed. For example, while more than 6,000 Community Education Centres were established under Post Literacy and Continuing Education project of ADB in 2007-2012, most of them are being close down due to lack of systematic Non-Formal Education (NFE) mechanisms.
The Cap EFA programme in Bangladesh started in 2006. Under the 1st phase (2006-08), basis and baseline for capacity development of literacy and NFE such as NFE Mapping, Literacy Survey, Advocacy, Training Manual on 6 key areas of literacy and NFE were reviewed and Management Information System were developed.
During the second phase (2008-11), institutional frameworks to standardize NFE such as policy analysis, piloting NFE-MIS, NFE delivery mechanism, equivalency education and minimum standard for NFE teachers were developed. The current phase of Cap EFA (2012 - 2013) has mainly focused on developing mechanisms to sustain the learning of learners and sustain NFE programmes and activities. Specific objectives include: 1) to enact NFE Act; 2) to institutionalize NFE delivery mechanisms; 3) to develop standards for NFE facilitators; 4) to develop equivalency education mechanisms; and, 5) to expand NFE-MIS other new districts including publication of NFE-MIS training manual.
Achievement and forthcoming
The Ministry has formulated a draft NFE Act together with rules and regulations based on the guidelines developed under the 2nd phase of the Cap EFA project. The Act was approved by the Cabinet in May 2013, and expected to be approved by the Parliament this year.
Pilot projects have been carried out in Sylhet and Rangpur Districts to develop networks and collaboration among local stakeholders of local government, ICT centres and vocational education institutions, NGOs and local communities, to jointly develop a learning network for each community. Specifically, a resource centre has been established at Union level to support community level activities through providing information, materials, need based training and recreational programmes. A proposal for expansion was prepared and consultations have been held with potential partners to expand the pilot initiatives of community development including BRAC, JICA, ADB and SDC.
NFE-MIS has been transferred from UNESCO to BNFE server to expand to other districts based on piloting in 4 districts during 1st and 2nd phase of CapEFA. Equivalency education curriculum guidelines and mechanisms for accreditation have been drafted and will be finalized this year, through assisting Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and in cooperation with ILO and UNICEF. Standard of NFE teaching personnel will be developed in particular those who teach at equivalency education of GO and NGOs.