バングラデシュにてIT教育を推進する学校の紹介
【2019年8月の活動報告】
Approximately 1.92 million meals (progress rate: 91%) were distributed by August against Euglena cookie distribution target of 2.1 million meals (revised in July 2019) for this term (October 2018-September 2019). ..
1. Introduction of schools that promote IT education
Bangladesh, a neighboring country of India, an IT powerhouse, is promoting a policy of "digital Bangladesh" under the initiative of the government, and is focusing on developing excellent IT human resources to make up for the shortage of IT human resources in developed countries. However, many of the GENKI program schools in slums do not have computers for children to study. Meanwhile, at SSKS Elementary School, the principal thought that it was necessary to learn how to use computers in the country where digitization is advancing, and in July 2016, he started his own computer class ahead of other schools. Currently, the school has six computers for learning. This is a free computer that the principal gave away from a school official he knew. This computer class is held once a week by a teacher who can use a computer for one hour and three months after school. Initially, we invited instructors from outside to give classes, but now teachers who have learned how to use computers are teaching.
Approximately 400 children from grades 1 to 5 attend the school, and the principal is recruiting computer classes, and interested children are participating. Children who have never touched a computer before will first learn typing and how to use the Internet, then create materials using Word and PowerPoint, and draw pictures with dedicated software. The tuition fee is 200 yen per person per month, and children from other schools can take classes at the same price as well as children from the same school.
A total of 105 children took classes in the three years since the computer class started. The teacher is recruiting students by calling out to teachers at nearby elementary schools in order to continue the computer class.
A child who graduated from a computer class has been fond of drawing since he was little, so he is delighted to be able to draw on his computer using colorful paint software. It seems.
Photo-1: Computer classroom
Photo-2: A child drawing the flags of Bangladesh and Japan using software
2. Introducing Parbesh, who lives in a school dormitory away from his family
This month, I would like to introduce Parbesh, who lives in a dormitory at a school away from his family. Parbesh is a first grader (8 years old) attending the Bauniabas Islamiya Madrasa School, which is a target school for the GENKI program. I lost my dad to illness when I was four years old. After that, the mother remarried and became a family of four, a father-in-law, a mother, a 4-year-old sister-in-law, and Parbesh. Due to the complicated family environment, Parves left his family in Chittagong, a port city about 250 km south of the capital Dhaka, and started living at his grandfather's and grandmother's house in Dhaka. In Bangladesh, it is common to use a broom instead of a vacuum cleaner, and grandfathers work to make brooms from straw. My grandfather earned a monthly income of 14,000 yen for this job, but the average monthly income in Dhaka Slam Street was about 20,000 yen, and it was difficult for him to pay for Parbesh's living and education expenses.
Therefore, Parbesh transferred to a school called "Madrasa" where a dormitory is attended by devout Muslims. In addition to the regular curriculum, we study the Islamic holy book Quran in Arabic every day. Very poor children can live in dormitories on campus for free. Parbesh also lives in a dormitory and is exempt from tuition. On weekends, Parbesh returns to his grandfather's and grandmother's house, about 10 minutes away from the dormitory, to help make brooms. I can meet my dad, mom and sister only during long vacations such as summer vacation. Parbesh said, "I enjoy living with my friends, but I miss my family often. I want to be able to live with everyone someday."
Photo-3: Grandpa and Parbesh
Photo-4: Parbesh helping to make a broom
Photo-5: Children living in the dormitory
3. Differences in cleaning habits at school
Did you know that a video of a Japanese elementary school student cleaning and serving lunch has become a hot topic overseas? It is a natural scenery for us, but looking around the world, about 40% of the countries like Japan are cleaned by children, and about 60% are cleaned by cleaners, which is a minority. Even in Bangladesh, it is common for cleaners to do the cleaning. However, the number of schools that children clean up, including public schools, is gradually increasing.
At elementary schools where the GENKI program is targeted, children take the initiative in conducting a "school cleaning program." It all started when the principal himself started cleaning the principal's room. Twice a month, cleaners teach children how to clean and clean the school and around the school. The purpose of this effort is to clean the school by itself so that you can treat your personal belongings carefully and to develop the cooperation to accomplish one thing with your friends. It is said that this initiative has helped children learn the importance of cleaning their surroundings and is willing to do cleaning at home. In addition, I became aware of the difficulty of cleaning work and became more than ever grateful to the cleaning staff. On the other hand, some schools are negative about getting children to clean. At one school, parents said, "I'm making my children work, it's just a reduction in the labor costs of the cleaners," and the movement toward the implementation of cleaning by children is at a standstill. As you can see, cleaning by children, which is commonplace for us, is not commonplace because there are various ways of thinking around the world.
Photo-6: Children picking up garbage around the school building
Photo 7: A child wiping the window glass of a classroom
Thank you for your continued support.
Euglena Co., Ltd.
Overseas Business Development Department / Bangladesh Office