Brac Initiative in Khagrachhari
17,000 indigenous students taking lesson in mother tongue
JOYFUL LEARNING THROUGH MOTHER TONGUE: Indigenous children learning at a school run by Brac at Babuchhara under Dighinala upazila in Khagrachhari district. Photo: STAR
Around 17,000 under-privileged indigenous students in Khagrachhari are getting the opportunity to learn through their mother languages in 686 Brac schools in the hill district. Under their 10 branch offices in the district, Brac is running 447 Brac primary schools where 11,599 students enjoy learning through their own languages in addition to Bangla and English, said sources at the organisation's Khagrachhari district office. Besides, 2762 students are getting education in their own language by own community teachers from 124 Brac Pre-Primary Schools while 2,499 youths are getting education from 115 Kishore-Kishori Unnayan Karmasuchi. Brac supplies all learning materials and provides the students health service. In Brac schools, students do physical exercise and learn the rules of health and cleanliness. Brac teachers also teach the students about food value, nutrition, gardening etc. Loko Jyoti Chakma, a Branch Manager of Brac Education Programme GPP (Government Partnership Programme), said they have been working with the government at pre-primary level in the district. After successful completion of pre-primary schooling, the students are admitted into government primary schools, he said. Trishna Dewan, Branch Manager of Brac's Diginala office, told The Daily Star correspondent that students in their school, mostly under-privileged ones, are enjoying education in their mother language while dropout rates are very low. According to Article-3 under Topsil-1 of Parbatya Zila Parishad Act, 1989 and Article 33 of CHT Peace Accord, 1997, all indigenous children should get learn through mother languages, said Mohammad Jasim Uddin, Area Education Manager of Brac. Despite some progress in the last couple of years, indigenous people are still neglected and deprived in the education sector, said Kirti Tripura, Area Sector specialist of Brac. Considering the situation, Brac is providing primary education in indigenous languages by setting up schools in remotest areas, he said. During a recent visit to some areas of Dighinala and Panchhari upazilas, this correspondent saw lively presence of students and teachers at schools where indigenous language is used as medium of instruction. Brac started their programme for indigenous children's schooling in mother language in the hill district in 2003. “Indigenous people are still facing discrimination in different sectors, including education and employment. But we see gradual improvement in the situation as several non-government organisations including Brac are working in the hilly areas,” Khagrachhari Hill District Council Chairman Monindra Lal Tripura said.
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