Literacy Initiatives For Empowerment ( LIFE ) Bangladesh Prepared by BUREAU OF NON-FORMAL EDUCATION (BNFE) MINISTRY OF PRIMARY AND MASS EDUCATION Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh December 2010

1. Introduction 1.1. Current situation : LIFE process of UNESCO has been developing Institutional and Organizational Capacity in NFE Sub-sector in Bangladesh since 2005. LIFE and UNLD has been informed to stakeholders of EFA at various occasions including seminars, meetings, training workshops, etc. organized by Bureau of Non-formal Education (BNFE), NGOs and its consortium CAMPE (Campaign for Popular Education). At the same time, there were several on-going operational mechanisms of literacy and NFE in the country namely, Post-Literacy and Continuing Education for Human Development (PLCEHD), Reaching Out-of-School Children (ROSC), Basic Education for Hard to Reach Urban Working Children (BEHTRUWC) and UNESCO’s Capacity Building of EFA (Cap EFA), and so LIFE was considered as an overall framework of literacy related activities, rather than an operational mechanism or strategy.

1.2. Main Issues of Literacy in the country Though Bangladesh has achieved a significant progress in promoting literacy, but around half of the population of the country is still illiterate. According to the Report of Literacy Assessment Survey 2008 (BBS), Adult Literacy Rate (tested) is 48.8% ( 15+ age group) in the country. As per the NFE Mapping Report-2009, there are 37.35 million illiterates of 11-45 age groups in the country. So the challenges before Bangladesh for achieving EFA goals are still a big one

2. Organization of LIFE process in the country National Council for Primary & Mass Education headed by the honorable Prime Minister Inter ministerial Coordination Committee headed by the Secretary of Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Project Steering Committee (PSC) headed by the Secretary of Ministry of Primary and Mass Education Consultation forums with key stakeholders (GO, NGOs, NFE Experts/ consultants, academic institutions and development partners) headed by DG,BNFE LIFE Coordination Committee : Moreover giving the special importance on LIFE, a “LIFE Coordination Committee” is established comprising of the members from GO, NGOs, Development Partners, NFE Experts/Consultants) coordinated by DG, BNFE.

3.Advocacy and Communication Advocacy for LIFE and UNLD has been integrated in the EFA Global Action Week in April and International Literacy Day in September. Several events at national and sub-national levels were organized e.g. rally, seminars, TV programmes to mobilize the interests of policy makers, practitioners and civil society for promoting literacy and EFA. Promotional materials such as posters and booklets were developed and distributed. Capacity building training programmes on Advocacy were also conducted for NFE mangers of GO and NGOs. Good practices and tangible outputs were used as tools for mobilizing political support and further resources such as piloting of Community Learning Centres (CLCs), NFE Mapping, LAS and NFE-MIS.

4. Impact of LIFE on Literacy Policy and Plans Literacy has become an important agenda of the Government through UNLD, LIFE, EFA Goals and MDG. Accordingly, BLCE project has been formulated, aiming to achieve 100% literacy in the country by 2014. Resource mobilization efforts have been under way from internal budget and also external assistance of DPs based on the outcomes of Cap EFA project including frameworks on NFE teachers, Equivalence Education, NFE delivery mechanism NFE Policy and Strategic Actions have been approved Capacity of NFE managers of GO and NGOs developed/continued.

5. Innovation under LIFE National experiences and innovations e.g. Capacity Development, Policy Implementation Strategic Actions, EE Framework, NFE Delivery Mechanism e.g. CLCs, NFE Mapping and NFE-MIS have been documented through preparation for UNLD/LIFE related forums and publications. Inter-country forums, publications and web-sites have been useful to share knowledge and experiences with other countries.

6. National Capacity Improvement Institutional and organizational capacity developed/continued for NFE-Sub-sector Program Planning and Implementation. These are : NFE-MIS: NFE-MIS was piloted in two districts and another two districts are under piloting to up scaling the NFE-MIS. NFE Mapping: Mapping of NFE Activities in Bangladesh completed in 2008. Literacy Assessment Survey: Literacy Assessment Survey Completed Capacity building of NFE managers : Capacity Development on planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and material development completed Capacity Development of on Advocacy : Completed Equivalence Education Framework: Developing an Equivalence Education Framework is going to be operationalzed soon. NFE Teachers Framework : Capacity Development Framework of NFE teachers is completed. NFE Sub-sector Policy Review and Program preparation : ongoing. NFE Delivery Framework : on going.

Thanks