Teach For Bangladesh (TFB) is an organisation working to solve one of the oldest injustices in our country: educational disparity. The opportunity for children to access quality education is determined by the socio-economic conditions of their birth.
Teach For Bangladesh addresses this by creating bold new leadership enlisting top Bangladeshi young adults to a two-year leadership development Fellowship, during which they teach full-time in low-income schools. Currently there are 29 countries which have adopted the model.
Tell us a little about your education background.
I completed my O’Levels from Sunnydale School in 2006 and received a USA State Department scholarship to finish my high school in Seattle, Washington. I studied at Brigham Young University, Utah shortly before coming back to Dhaka and finishing my LLB from University of London International Programmes. Currently, I am completing my MBA at BRAC University.
When did you first notice a disparity in our education system; have you always wanted to do something about it?
After coming back from US in 2007, I was extensively involved in different types of volunteer work which led me to visit slums in Dhaka; I noticed the realities of their lives and the inequalities that persist in our society. I decided I wasn’t going to sit back and watch nothing change; I would strive to put myself in a position to help reduce the educational gap in Bangladesh.
Please share a little bit about TFB that you have come to experience till now.
TFB has some wonderfully smart, talented and empathic people devoted to their mission. They are kind and helpful and find creative ways of communicating that help me understand their goals better and make me feel like a part of the team.
What led you towards TFB as opposed to conventional options?
TFB is part of a global movement that focuses on teachers as leaders. This particular aspect of their objective is what attracted me more than any other development organisation. The professional development and mentorship offered at TFB also sets it apart.
The TFB Fellowship programme is one that is highly selective. In your opinion, which of your achievements and roles set you apart from your peers?
I have persistently demonstrated leadership qualities throughout my academic and professional life. The US government recognised my leadership potential and offered me the scholarship to study in the US for a year. In addition, I am currently working with students with unconventional education backgrounds which gives me the raw skills required to deal with the troubling situations in low income families and help students overcome those obstacles.
Do you plan to remain in the Education sector following the completion of your two-year Fellowship or do you plan on bringing the professional development and training you receive to another field?
I plan to remain in the Education sector after the completion of my two-year fellowship. I want to focus on raising awareness about human rights and how it can be incorporated into national curriculums.
Where do you see yourself two years from now, at the end of your Fellowship?
I see myself in a position to make changes. At the end of my Fellowship, I believe I will be armed with experience and skills that are vital in solving the problem of inequity.
What is your dream for the children of Bangladesh?
I dream of every Bangladeshi child having the confidence and belief in themselves to make a difference. I dream of them being ambitious and successful despite the economic status of their families.
