Education in Bangladesh
We’re working on an Inclusive Futures programme in Bangladesh focused on supporting children with disabilities to access mainstream education.
The Inclusive Futures programme focuses on disability inclusion and is funded by UK aid from the UK government. We are the lead partner of the project, working in a consortium with ADD International, Sense International and Sightsavers.
Key project facts
What
We’re supporting children with disabilities aged 5 to 14 years old who have either dropped out of school or never been enrolled due to inaccessible school environments. The project aims to reach 225 children with disabilities across 45 schools.
Where
We’re working in two districts of Bangladesh - Narshingdi and Sirajganj.
When
The project began in January 2021 and will continue its inception phase until March 2022. The implementation starts in April 2022 and will continue until December 2024.
What are we doing
We’re working with the schools to become more inclusive and accessible. We’re promoting the importance of inclusion within the local communities too. We are also promoting ‘home-based education’ for children with disabilities to ensure learning continues at home.
Individuals and the community
We’re supporting children in obtaining assistive devices that they may need to support them at school, including accessible technology. We’re also supporting them to access counselling where needed.
Schools and teachers
At the schools, we’re helping to adapt teaching and learning materials to make them more inclusive. And ensuring the schools themselves are physically accessible too.
We’re also supporting parents by establishing Parent Support Groups. We will establish child-to-child clubs to educate children about disability rights and promote inclusion at schools.
Governance and policy
The Organisations of the Persons with Disabilities (OPDs) are helping us to reach communities and share information on disability inclusion to break down barriers around disability. They’re helping us advocate with educational authorities to hold them accountable for ensuring inclusive education is available for children with disabilities.
Through the project we’re also working with relevant government departments in Bangladesh to ensure strategies and education frameworks are disability inclusive.
