Abstract
The paper presents a case study and lessons learnt from an alternative education project implemented in two cyclone-devastated districts of Bangladesh as a post-disaster response and recovery initiative after the massive cyclone ‘Sidr' in November 2007. A survey revealed that the shattered financial condition of local families along with other problems in the formal education system was causing dropouts and non-attendance. Based on the needs assessment the NGO Islamic Relief Worldwide implemented an alternative education project named ‘Anondo Biddaloy-Alternative Education for ‘Sidr’ Affected Children’. In an effort of creating access to the formal education for the drop-out and nonenrolled children, the project focused on regaining and augmenting their interest towards education by offering a learner friendly, joyful education scheme that combined life skills and livelihood skills education with health and wellbeing aspects. Implementation of the project resulted into introducing and retaining a significant number i.e. almost 80% of its target group in mainstream education. The project thus brought about a major lesson that education with an alternative nature (to the mainstream) can effectively contribute towards ensuring education for vulnerable target groups in a crisis. With an aim of contributing to the academic and practitioner’s knowledge of the community relevant to providing education in post-disaster situation, the paper has specific purposes of sharing the concept and contents of the particular alternative education initiative as well as lessons learnt from it.
Highlights
Bangladesh has a recurrent past of devastation by natural disasters
The Government with other development stakeholders working for overall preparedness, adaptation and mitigation actions towards environmental catastrophes, education sector of the country is considered to be exposed to environmental mishaps as one of the largest primary education systems in the world, the primary education system in Bangladesh is still largely unprepared to meet disaster challenges (UNICEF Bangladesh 2011)
These broader program areas are covered under concerned departments, respectively called Development Programme (DP), Vocational Training and Employment Support Services Programme (VTESS), Health Programme, Child Welfare Programme (CWP), Water & Sanitation (WATSAN) Programme and Emergency Disaster & Preparedness (EDP) Programme
Summary
Bangladesh has a recurrent past of devastation by natural disasters. On average, a major flood occurs every four to five years, and a severe tropical cyclone hits Bangladesh every three years (MoEF, 2009, GoB 2008). Long-term development projects include Community based disaster preparedness, Local These broader program areas are covered under concerned departments, respectively called Development Programme (DP), Vocational Training and Employment Support Services Programme (VTESS), Health Programme, Child Welfare Programme (CWP), Water & Sanitation (WATSAN) Programme and Emergency Disaster & Preparedness (EDP) Programme. Of dependant) and a way of protecting family honour (lessening chance of being shamed by rape) In their circumstances, to address those emerged issues Child Welfare Program planned to intervene with General Education while integrating broader child welfare issues along with this and developed a comprehensive education project entitled “Anondo Biddaloy-Alternative education for Sidr Affected Children” and submitted to the Islamic Relief Worldwide headquarters fundraising department for marketing. The project budget was approximately US$ 84288.32 (1 US$=70 BDT)
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