Description
Over the last two decades, Bangladesh has made impressive progress in expanding access to education. Primary school enrollment has increased significantly and the gender gap has been eliminated at primary and lower secondary levels. Despite these achievements, many challenges persist. The major causes for concern are high dropout and repetition rates, poor quality of education, and prevailing inequalities. A growing number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) engage in ‘non-formal’ education that addresses poor and disadvantaged children, especially girls. NGO activities have been praised internationally for providing ‘second chance’ education to deprived populations and ‘filling gaps’ in the state provision. This book provides insights into ‘non-formal’ schools and discusses the role of NGOs in promoting gender equality in education in Bangladesh. It examines how such programs contribute to securing girls’ rights to an education. Contents include: introduction * methodology * gender, education, and development debates * international education policy and girls’ education in South Asia * the position of women and girls in Bangladesh * girls’ education in Bangladesh: achievements and challenges * NGOs and non-formal primary education in Bangladesh * making schools ‘girl friendly’ * “We want to make them perfect people”
