Over the past decade, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in expanding access to education. With 98 percent of children of primary school age enrolled in school, the country has achieved near universal primary enrollment as well as gender parity in equal access to education. Despite these advances in access, the quality of education remains a challenge, and many children in Bangladesh are not acquiring the foundational skills they need for continued learning. This is particularly true for marginalized groups. Children in crisis-affected areas – including those in host communities impacted by the Rohingya crisis – and children with disabilities are underrepresented and underreported in Bangladesh’s education system. USAID supports the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) at the pre-primary, primary and higher secondary education levels and strengthens development opportunities for youth who are not in education, employment or training.
Reaching Marginalized Children with Quality Education
USAID programs target children living in crisis-affected, marginalized and vulnerable communities with a special focus on girls and children with disabilities. USAID works to build awareness and sensitize communities and schools on ensuring all children’s access to quality education, while strengthening the skills of district education officials, teachers, and school communities to deliver quality education.
Educating Children Beyond the Classroom
In 2005, USAID established Sisimpur, the Bangladesh version of the popular Sesame Street children’s educational TV program. USAID continues to support Sisimpur to produce and air episodes on national TV, providing millions of children across the country with high-quality educational content.
Empowering Youth and Promoting Peace
USAID youth activities build skills and empower out-of-school youth to increase their employability, enabling them to contribute to the economic growth of Bangladesh. Programs also prioritize gender equity and reaching out-of-school youth from marginalized populations, and hard-to-reach areas. USAID education programs also aim to strengthen Bangladeshi youth’s resilience against violent extremism and anti-democratic values.
Results
- USAID has helped bring 16 consecutive seasons of Sisimpur, Bangladesh’s version of Sesame Street, to millions of Bangladeshi children. For season 16, Sisimpur introduced viewers to Ameera, an 8-year-old Muppet girl who uses a wheelchair, as part of the show’s focus on promoting diversity and inclusivity among all people.
- In 2023, USAID continued to improve education for children by organizing 350 forums for teachers and parents and establishing 150 classroom libraries for early learners to improve school readiness. In addition, USAID co-designed the national early grade reading teacher training program to strengthen reading in grades 1-5 and supported the government’s Inclusive Education Program to ensure children with disabilities have access to quality education. .
- In 2023, USAID designed and awarded two new projects. Bijoyee is an integrated project that will equip youth with soft skills, strengthen youth-led organizations, and foster an enabling environment for youth engagement. USAID’s new Higher Secondary Education Project will improve the quality of teaching and learning practices in higher secondary education, enhance teachers’ instructional and management skills, and strengthen the leadership and supervision capacity of principals and education officers.
