Dhaka, June 7 (bdnews24.com) – Brac authorities have replied to the recent controversy over the government's decision to train primary school teachers under the NGO's supervision.
The non-governmental organisation said it aimed to "improve the standard of education at selected government and registered non-government primary schools", rather than seeking "control over management of these schools".
It is the responsibility of the state to ensure standard free primary education, Brac said in a statement Friday.
"Brac does not believe in privatisation or commercialisation of primary education," the statement said.
Initiated jointly by Brac and the government, the pilot project in question aims to increase attendance, reduce high drop-out rates and improve the overall quality of teaching and education in 20 upazilas of nine districts.
The controversy and debate raised by the pilot project has been widely covered in the national media.
A group of primary school teachers observed an hour long work abstention on June 5 demanding cancellation of the BRAC-run training programme. Muhammad Abdul Awal Talukdar, president of the Bangladesh Government Primary School Teachers Association, had told bdnews24.com they refused to receive training from Brac under any circumstances.
Brac public affairs and communications director, M Anwarul Haq, told bdnews24.com Saturday: "The joint initiative will be operated to develop the standard of education of the government and registered private primary schools."
Haq did not make any comment on the work abstention of the teachers.
"Brac has run a training programme at six upazilas of Sherpur in the last three years. The pilot project was a part of that series project," the official said.
"Brac has been working in primary education programme since 1985," Haq said, adding that Brac is currently operating 37,500 primary schools with 12 lakh students.
"Some 38 lakh students have completed primary education so far. Of them, over 90 percent of students have gained places in secondary schools."
The experiences and skills attained from the pilot project will help the trainees develop the standard of primary education of the country, he hoped.
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