Some 120 Protibha schools deal with the pre-primary school students to prevent the drop out rate in the district have appeared on the verge of closure as those financier United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Bangladesh is going to stop financing From January next year as per project deadline.
Consequently, an apprehension of deprivation from one year of basic education has been looming over a total of 3,600 students of the schools.
Besides, teachers of the school are also being jobless when those will stop its activities from next year because of appearing the project of 13 lakh monthly to end.
It was learnt that Non-government organisation named “Jagaroniy Chakra Foundation” with the financial support from the USAID, Bangladesh had launched the four-year pre-primary education project at the 120 public primary schools Sadar and Mohammadpur upazila in 2010. The main motto of the project is to minimise the drop out of the primary students in the district, which was vastly known as Protibha school that enrols 30 children for one year.
In the meantime, the schools have gained outstanding popularity among the locals as teaching method here is not traditional while no book is used in the process. Rather, different elements such as games and sports considered interesting to the children are used to teach them any topic. On the other hand, in case of any drop out, the teachers appointed locally motivate the guardians to send their children to school.
One guardian namely Nitay Roy from Vabonpara village in Mohammadpur upazila said: “My daughter is now five years old and I am thinking of sending her to local Protibha school. But recently I have heard that the schools will be closed from coming year and certainly not only my daughter also local children will be deprived from the basic education.”
Another guardian named Abdul Mozid from village Sotofalia in Sadar Magura sadar upazilla told, my daughter goes to local Protibha school.. I never force her to go to school. He goes there willingly. Moreover he feels interested in going to school as teaching method in the schools is easy and attractive. Abdul Mozid added, if my daughter fails to go to schools someday the teacher visits my house and ask me about the reason of her absence. Such cordiality of teacher is encouraging for me as well as my daughter.
On contact, Md Shahin Mreedha team leader of Protibha school program told, a total of 3600 children are receiving education in 120 Protibha schools of the district. On the other hand about 4500 children of the district are getting prepared to be admitted in the schools from coming year. But want of financial support is one and only impediment here. Financial Support of 12 lakhs and 96 thousand per month can raise a new hope for Protibha schools. But who is there to extend his helping hand?
He already contacted with the local education primary school, who informed them to pay heed to it.
Sadar upazila chairman md nazim uddin said they received a letter in this regard and the matter will be placed in the upcoming regular meeting.
