Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) is the national coalition for education in Bangladesh working since 1990. Although CAMPE started its journey with only 15 member organizations but, over the years it has grown into a credible membership network of more than a thousand NGOs, researchers, educators, and other civil society organizations and individuals sharing a similar vision. The journey of CAMPE started immediately after the World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien, Thailand in March 1990 that committed to an expanded vision of education encompassing universalization of access and equity, focusing on learning, broadening the means and scope of basic education, enhancing the teaching-learning environment and strengthening partnerships among state and non-state actors.
CAMPE’s core functions are coordination and networking, policy advocacy, research and evidence generation, and capacity enhancement of members and partner organizations. It is committed to facilitating the process of sustainable and pro-poor policy frameworks, which will, in turn, enable the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) focused on Quality Education (SDG4)/Education 2030. CAMPE works closely with government, policymakers, development partners, national, regional, global forums and actors.
The uniqueness of CAMPE is built in its constituency-driven characteristics. The main strength of CAMPE is the ownership and cooperation of its members and partners. It has been representing the non-state education community in different forums of government, development partners, and international consultative groups and institutions providing intellectual input to national and global processes.
CAMPE is the secretariat of the Education Watch Group, a civil society Platform of researchers, practitioners and activists in the education sector of Bangladesh. On behalf of the Group, CAMPE coordinates the production and dissemination of an annual research-based Education Watch report, presenting a civil society perspective on the progress and challenges for achieving different national and international goals and
targets, including SDG-4. Acceptance of CAMPE by its stakeholders, including government, local administration, broader civil society, and media, is a major asset.
CAMPE is a member of the CCNGO, the global CSO network of UNESCO. It has recently been elected to the Board, as a CSO Alternate member, of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), a multi-stakeholder global financing mechanism that provides technical support and funding for education to more than 60 developing countries.
CAMPE is governed by a Council (Board) which has authorized the Executive Director to make decisions related to different projects and day-to-day administration. A Management Team consisting of the Executive Director and other senior officials takes major decisions related to implementing the projects/activities. A number of Development Partners (DPs), INGOs, and UN agencies have supported CAMPE, both technical and financially. The major supporting agencies were DFID/FCDO, EU, SDC, EKN, Sida, Oxfam GB, Oxfam NOVIB, Oxfam IIBS, GPE, GCE, ASPBAE, MJF, UNESCO, Unicef, ActionAid, Porticus, etc.
Background of CAMPE
Campaign For Popular Education is an advocacy and campaign network operating in Bangladesh since 1991. CAMPE which started its journey with only 15 member organizations and individuals grown to a credible membership of almost 1000 NGOs, researchers, educators, and other Civil Society organizations and individuals sharing similar visions. The journey of CAMPE started in the year 1990 following the Jomtien World Conference on Education for All.
CAMPE's program interventions primarily focus on Policy Advocacy, Networking, Campaign, Research, and Capacity Building of its members and partner organizations. CAMPE is committed to facilitating the process for sustainable and pro-poor policy frameworks which will in turn enable the achievement of Education for All goals. CAMPE works closely with policymakers, development partners, and different national, regional, and global forums.
Since its inception, CAMPE has been trying to coordinate the implementation of program interventions with the Government and other progressive institutions to facilitate the participation of people in literacy and non-formal education movements. CAMPE has been an active member of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), the Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), the International Council for Adult Education (ICAE), and the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP).
CAMPE started its initial phase (1992-1995) with the support of the British ODA (AMOD), SIDA, OXFAM, and PRIP/PACT. UNICEF and UNESCO also supported specific program components during this phase, which ended after two no-cost extensions in June 1996. Then, CAMPE's main challenges were to identify its niche, clarify its vision and mission, and establish its credibility as the representative body of education sector NGOs in Bangladesh.
CAMPE started its second phase (1999-2000) under a new leadership and a revised management system with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). This phase ended in May 2001 also after two no-cost extensions. Apart from one specific project, supported by UNESCO, CAMPE implemented some specific projects funded by MoEF/UNDP, SIDA, DFID, and Oxfam-Novib (former Novib). The overall experience of core Development partners of CAMPE during this phase was positive regarding program implementation but there were concerns for the need to strengthen CAMPE's capacity as an organization. It was also identified that CAMPE needed to seek new development partners and focus more on the issue of its sustainability.
In its Third Phase (2002-2006) CAMPE implemented Quality Education for All program with the support from SDC, EKN (former RNE), and Oxfam-Novib as core partners. CAMPE and its development partners jointly identified that institutional capacity and resource requirements are key issues for the successful implementation of the Quality Education for All program. The mission for Phase III was focused on (i) Institutional Development Strategy, (ii) Organizational Development Plan (iii) Human Resource Development Plan, (iv) Gender Strategy, (v) Documentation and Communication Plan, and (vi) Development of Business Plan. Programmatic interventions of the phase were completed with a no-cost extension of three months.
The Fourth Phase (2007-2012) of CAMPE was to acquire accuracy and smooth implementation through advanced exercises to influence policy and practice change. All three core development partners continued their support to this phase. In addition, the relationship with government, regional and global arena was significantly enhanced. A core strategy for this phase was to address the Organizational and Programmatic issues as identified. The organizational issues included role clarification, Human Resource Development, Organizational Governance, Effective and Efficient Management, Organizational Sustainability, Leadership & Professionalism, and Gender Sensitivity. The programmatic issues included (i) Policy Advocacy and Networking, (ii) Program Sustainability and capacity Building, (iii) Quality Education, (iv) Promoting Basic and Value Education, (v) Introducing Trend Setting Activities, (vi) Improving Follow-up and Monitoring System, (vii) Involvement of Local Government and Community, (viii) Networking and Coordination, and ix) Widening the Sub-sector particularly to include pre-primary, skills development and TVET.
