COAST - Bangladesh :: Coastal Association for Social Transformation Trust

Situation of Institutions:

Students : Teacher	Male : Female Teacher	Male : Female Students	Drop Out Rate	SMC is not Active	School with no budget	No Separate toilet for Girls
104 : 01	59 : 41	48 : 52	41%	87. 69%	79%	46. 67%

Major Findings

nThe major barriers to the quality primary education in coastal area which have been identified through the situation analysis may be pointed out as below.
nSeasonal labor of the children like Bagda fishing, harvesting period. ( in this period children remain out of school for about two/ three months)
nSystem of substitute (Badla and Begar) teachers.
nExtreme poverty and education cost is high and that is why people like to send their children to the field for earning than to send them to schools.
nHigh scarcity of teachers in proportion to the number of students. It is 91:1 in coastal area.
nCorruption and nepotism encompassing education office, SMC, teachers, influential guardians, local political leaders in relation to the stipend.
nInactive and ignorant SMC
nLack of co-curricular activities and other entertainment facilities in schools.
nVery bad communication and transportation system
nBroken infrastructure and no electric connection to the schools other than govt. and registered schools.
nNo cooperation among teachers, parents and SMC
nLow level monitoring system from thana education office.
nPolitical selection and bribe system in teacher employment
nLate reaching of books ( not earlier than March /April)
nTeachers are more busy in maintaining stipend record than teaching
nLow salary for the teachers of registered and non-registered primary schools.
nNatural calamity, the are is highly disaster pruned which makes schools inactive for two /three months. Moreover, during rainy season most of the children can not go to schools for about 3 months because of broken culverts, bamboo or wooden bridges and muddy roads which are again inundated by flood water.

Major Recommendations of the People:

nChanging school conducting hour at the time bagda fishing or shrimp catching and harvesting period to mitigate dropout and exclusion.
nNon-political employment of local teacher to stop Badla system.

nProviding game materials to make school environment attractive.

nProviding school dress along with stipend for all students.

nInclusion of educated and dedicated people in the SMC.

nSpecial care to the girl child and handicapped.

nAll village roads connecting the schools should be brick-made.

nEnsuring electricity connection to all schools.

Future Plan of COAST:

nMobilization of SMC, teachers, Parents, and the community in relation to child rights and child psychology.
nLocal and national level advocacy on coastal education problem
nAdditional material development for coastal children on need based coastal livelihood, disaster management and protection of bio-diversity.
nIntroduction of basic education in traditional religious education institutes like Maktab/ Mandir
nEstablishing mobile schools for vulnerable children in coastal area.
nEstablishing Early Child Development Center (ECD)
nProtection of linguistic identity of ethnic minority group like Rakhaine in Cox'sbazar
nREFLECT education for coastal adolescent girls.
nContinuation of work with CEF.
nYearly assessment on SSC result and subsequent advocacy program.