Global Action Week on Education (GAWE) 2016 Celebrated in Bangladesh
Fund the Future: Education Rights Now!
Global Action Week on Education 2016 was observed in Bangladesh with different programs at the national and local level. All these events were designed around the issue of financing for educationwith the slogan Fund the Future: Education Rights Now!
National Level Program
Global Action Week on Education 2016 was kicked off at national level with a Policy dialogue on Budget for Education in Bangladesh organized on 25 April 2016 in cooperation with Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD). More than 150 guests including policy makers, researchers, development practitioners, education experts from government/non-government organizations, Teacher Associations, and media attended the event. Hon’ble Deputy Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament Advocate Fazle Rabbi Miah MP, Hon’ble Minister for Education Mr. Nurul Islam Nahid MP, Hon’ble State Minister for Finance & Planning M A Mannan MP, Hon’ble Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee for Finance Dr. Md Abdur Razzak MP, Executive Director of CAMPE Ms. Rasheda K. Choudhury and Executive Director of CPD Professor Mustafizur Rahman also talked in the dialogue. The discussion was steered around the issue of education financing including findings of the study Budget for Education in Bangladesh: An Analysis of Trends jointly conducted by CAMPE and CPD. The discussants unanimously agreed on the need for prioritizing education in the National Budget and increasing it. They also emphasized on proper planning and distribution of resources.
A Youth Conference was held on 30 April 2016 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) participated by students of 18 government, private and non-formal educational institutions, GO/NGO officials, academics and media etc. Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Chairman-Bangladesh Human Rights Commission, Dr. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, Chairman-PKSF, Md. Humayun Khalid, Secretary-Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, Mr. Nazrul Islam Khan, Former Secretary-Ministry of Education, Mr. A. S. Mahmud, Additional Secretary- Ministry of Education, Dr. A. K. M. Nurun Nabi, Vice Chancellor-Begum Rokeya University, Ms. Farzana Chowdhury, CEO-Green Delta Insurance Company Ltd were present in the lively interactive session. Renowned musician Nakib Khan and Haider Hossain, popular actor Zahid Hasan, Everest conqueror M A Muhit, and upcoming education leader Karvi Rakshand, CEO- Jagoo also spoke in response to the questions from the floor. The question-answer session gave an insight into the concerns of the young students around education budget, quality of education, girls’ rights, and access to education and employment opportunity.
An Education & Development Fair was also organized at the BICC on 30 April 2016. Total 31 national and international NGOs including government organizations showcased their education related materials. CAMPE also displayed its education materials and research works in the fair. People from different sectors including students moved around the stalls.
Local Level Program
A number of events were organized in 28 districts throughout the GAWE week (24-30 April) in Bangladesh. The program included Round Table, Sharing Session, Press Briefing, Rally, Parents Gathering and Art Competition etc. arranged in cooperation with partner NGOs and Teacher Associations. More than 3500 people including public representatives, govt. officials, academics, NGO representatives, teachers, SMC members, other civil society groups, parents, students, and media attended the events.
All the events were organized in cooperation with national and local partner organizations and Teacher Associations. Prior to the program, several meetings for planning of the week were also held with the relevant local, national and international development organizations. As usual CAMPE coordinated and provided supports to the observance of GAWE 2016 in Bangladesh.
Some of the recommendations out of the program:
- Budgetary allocation for education must be increased significantly;
- Align country’s 7FYP ( 7th Five Year Plan) and sectoral education with SDG 4;
- Redesign foreign aid strategy for education in view of the 7FYP and the SDG targets;
- Improve teaching quality through the budgetary measures for adequate numbers of teachers, proper training and effective teacher-learner ratio;
- Establish partnership with non-government actors to fund non-formal alternatives for out-of-school children;
- Invest in TVET on a priority basis and link it with market demand;
- Provide adequate allocation for the education related Social Safety net Programs;
- Put concerted efforts towards generating resources and raising the revenue-GDP ratio for education allocation;
- Introduce education cess (taking into account the positive and negative lessons from India); and
- Emphasize efficacy of resource utilization to attain the envisaged outcomes through proper planning and distribution.
