BRAC’s project helps 25,000 out-of-school children return to education

Nearly 25,000 out-of-school and learning-lagged children who dropped out of school during the Covid-19 pandemic have returned to mainstream education through BRAC's "Returning to Learning" (RTL) project.

The initiative, which ran from January 2022 to December 2024 with support from the Hempel Foundation, provided accelerated learning to out-of-school children from marginalised communities through 1,005 one-room schools in the districts of Kurigram, Rangpur, and Lalmonirhat. 

According to the project's final assessment, of the students who completed the course, 99.1% were successfully re-enrolled in nearby government and non-government primary schools and madrasas.

The findings were shared at a closing event held on 12 May at the BRAC Centre in Dhaka, where key stakeholders gathered to review achievements and discuss future steps.

Speaking as chief guest, Masud Akter Khan, additional secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education (MoPME), stressed the importance of maintaining quality in education. "While efforts to advance girls' education have been prioritised, we must now focus equally on boys' education. The biggest challenge ahead is ensuring quality education for all," he said.

Special guest Mirajul Islam Ukil, director (Planning and Development) at the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), said the government is working on three major initiatives – introducing universal school feeding, reintroducing primary-level scholarships, and converting double-shift schools into single-shift operations. 

He noted that these efforts could significantly reduce school dropout rates.

Opening remarks at the event were delivered by Safi Rahman Khan, director of BRAC's Education, Skills Development and Migration Programme. 

Others present at the event were Zia Uddin Ahmed, assistant director of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE); Mohammad Zia ul Haque Sikder, education officer at the DPE; and Rosie Williams, foundations officer at BRAC Europe.

According to the assessment, Kurigram district saw its primary school dropout rate fall from 23.6% in 2020 to 14.16% in 2023, approaching the national average of 13.15%.

The evaluation also reported major improvements in students' academic performance. In English, the percentage of students scoring below 33 marks dropped from 37% before the course to just 5% afterwards. Similar progress was seen in Bangla and Mathematics.

Participants at the event emphasised that while project-based efforts are important, long-term impact will require a more inclusive and sustainable education system. They called for stronger involvement from local government, teachers, parents, and communities to build a resilient foundation for future generations.