Pandemic dropouts

Our Dhaka colleague, Dr. Nazmul Huda, has shared a report on the effect of Covid on children’s education in Bangladesh. When the pandemic first hit, concern initially focused on girls being forced into marriage, as struggling families tried to reduce their costs by marrying off their daughters. Now however, most of those missing from the classrooms are adolescent boys who have become wage earners for their families (photo shows family breaking bricks for concrete aggregate).

Donations from BHP supporters tackle these problems directly: Since Covid started, OFP has provided food aid to the ultra-poor in Nilphamari District. After the government closed all schools, Bluebell teachers took readers and other learning materials to students in their homes. OFP also awards scholarships to deserving but needy high school students (young woman standing in photo is a straight "A" high school student). Several OIST students have also been awarded tuition waivers to enroll in vocational training that will prepare them for decent jobs.

The next generation must learn to read and write

BHP Director John Richards recently published an article in the Daily Star, Bangladesh’s leading English-language newspaper. He and co-author Shahidul Islam of Queen’s University write, “The good news is that politicians, if they place high emphasis on school learning outcomes, can make significant improvements, even in neighbourhoods where children's families have few books and many parents are illiterate.” This is the situation in Balagram where we support OFP’s education programs, Bluebell School and the Early Learning Centres (photo).

“The only resource we can develop for certain is our human resources,” say Richards and Islam, “Bangladesh can realize a demographic dividend. However, to realize it we need to invest more on education and improve the education status of the next generation's work force. Good quality education is the necessary input. Period!” Working with USAID, Shahidul also produced this video about helping primary school children to improve reading and comprehension.

For economic development in Bangladesh, all of the next generation must learn to read and write

Update to BHP supporters

Since BHP began in 2004, nearly 100 individuals have visited Bangladesh as visiting faculty; many others donated course materials, educational resources and money. Your support to help strengthen nursing in Bangladesh has not been forgotten. Thank you for helping BHP achieve its goals.

With successful completion of our initial task, BHP has shifted its focus as noted below. Please contact us (aberland@protonmail.com) if you would like more information.

1. IUBAT College of Nursing now uses all local faculty, including graduates from IUBAT as well as other colleges. Annual enrolment for the 2022 cohort is over 100 students. IUBAT grads are now practicing widely, many in senior clinical positions in Bangladesh hospitals or NGOs, several as educators, several enrolled in advanced studies.

2. Alex Berland has worked with Nurses International to convert the IUBAT BSN curriculum to an Open Education Resource that has now been used in over 140 countries. That has led to many other initiatives by NI and several academic papers.

3. John Richards and Alex have been working with IUBAT faculty to develop an MPH program at IUBAT. This will provide a career path for nurses wishing to advance in education and leadership. We completed a detailed syllabus and are now waiting approval from the national regulator.

4. John and Alex continue to support other health-related initiatives through Sajida Foundation and service-based research on reproductive health with Dr. Nazmul Huda.

5. John and Alex have worked closely with Oasis for Posterity to build a primary school, two early learning centres and recently a vocational school in north-west Bangladesh. Our fund-raising for construction is complete so now we are focusing on salary support and professional development for educators. Please let us know if you would like to contribute.

6. John continues with a research program on primary school education and recently completed a major text on education in South Asia.

We continue to work through Mid-Main Community Health Centre in Vancouver and will soon establish a new charitable organization focusing on the community development work of OFP. Thank you again for your support to communities in need.