Online school launched in Bangladesh
Country: Bangladesh
Topic: Enable and Social
Last updated:
Grameenphone partners with JAAGO Foundation to bring the classroom to remote areas of Bangladesh via the Internet
The quality of education in Bangladesh suffers, largely due to the shortage of schools and the scarcity of teachers, particularly in rural areas. Grameenphone, a socially responsible company, wanted to find a way to contribute to the growth of the education sector. The result is a concept called “Online School”.
“The concept of online school is indeed groundbreaking. If this can be successfully put into operation in Bangladesh, not only will the quality of education improve but we will also take a step forward towards a Digital Bangladesh. We want to show how mobile connectivity can transform conventional ways of providing basic services to the masses,” said Kazi Monirul Kabir, Chief Communications Officer, Grameenphone.
The classroom comes to you
Online school creates a classroom for children who are deprived of quality education in remote Bangladesh. A remote classroom is connected online with a classroom in Dhaka, where the teacher conducts the session using video conferencing technology, along with the support of assigned staff at remote classroom. While the class is in session, both the teacher and the students have the freedom to interact live.
Pilot project launched in Tongi
The country’s first online school supported by Grameenphone (in partnership with JAAGO Foundation) was launched last December in Tongi, located outside of Dhaka. This project is still in the pilot phase, but given its successful implementation, the online school has the potential to ensure high quality education in rural areas.
Why online school is needed
Today in Bangladesh, around 50 % of the children drop out before they complete primary education. Attending school is particularly difficult for working children, children with disabilities, children of very poor families and those living in remote areas. The teacher/student ratio in Bangladesh is around 1 to 47.
Based on the feasibility of the concept, Grameenphone plans to replicate the Online School at four cyclone shelters ”Alokdeep”, located in the southern coastal belts of Bangladesh.