Introduction:

The YMCAs in Bangladesh almost from its inception in the early Seventies were involved in the Primary School Program in most of the affiliated local YMCAs. During the period of early days there were eight local YMCAs affiliated with the National Council of YMCAs of Bangladesh. Almost all the local YMCAs of Bangladesh were operating from one to three Free Primary Schools each having around 250 students. The students of these schools were from the poor background, whose parents could not afford to send their wards to regular primary schools due to poverty. They came from the poorest from the poor of the society. Several thousands of children have so far passed out from these schools. Indeed our effort whatsoever limited it was, has undoubtedly contributed towards our struggle for eradication of illiteracy from the country.

The Governmental efforts were also accelerated to provide primary education to every child born in the country. The Government also realizes the necessity of the education of children, though they cannot resolve the issue totally, due to lack of resources. A couple of years ago the Government had adopted universal primary education policy and as a result free primary education was made compulsory for all the children of the country. It is also understood that the Government of Bangladesh has made every resources available for imparting primary education for the children of the country.

The controversy and question till prevails, whether the Government efforts are adequate for imparting education to almost all the children of the country, in this backdrop, the need is felt that the NGOs’ should continue on its children educational program. Although it may not necessarily be a complimentary one to the Government education program, rather deemed as supplementary children education program to take care in those areas where the Governmental efforts fail. Though it is the duty of the Government to provide education to the children, it is good to mention that things are improving gradually and the Government efforts are in the process in taking up the full responsibility.

Along with the Governmental change of policy towards children's education, the NGOs’ role in the children education program have also required a change. The leading NGOs’ involved in children education program made a paradigm shift in their children education program. Now they have resorted on new educational method which has deemed to be an alternative educational system for the children who are left out from government education system. This is a supplementary education method and a crash program, more cost effective and sustainable in nature.

THE NFPE PROGRAM

In the World Summit for Children held in 1990, it was committed that about 80% of the children of Bangladesh will be brought under literacy Program ( Elementary Education ) by the year 2000. In Bangladesh about 11.5 million children are admitted in primary schools each year and about 66% of these children drops out from the schools. About 8.7 million of children can not go to the school.

The literacy rate of our country is 36%. It was 21% in 1951. The literacy has increased only by 15% in the last 50 years. On the other hand, if we compare with the China, 100% literacy rate had been achieved there within 10 years by introducing NFPE in 1951. Thus the success of China in NFPE became an example for us to follow to educate our children with the least possible time.

What is Non Formal Primary Education ?

NFPE is an alternative method of teaching, if we would have followed this earlier our literacy rate would be increased within a very short time of period. It is not like a formal school. The students are taught only functional education, which they require in their everyday life. Unnecessary curriculum are avoided. The curriculum is easy and flexible and also not complicated. This is called NFPE.

Objective of this Program:

• to ensure education for all with a very short time of period
• to ensure education especially for girls
• to promote a skilled teaching staff
• to provide a minimum literacy for the land-less and destitute family’s children..

Characteristics of the Programme:

• Ensure the participation of the community people
• Limited student (about 40) in a class
• Short term class, around two and half hours per day, 45 minutes per period.
• Avoiding long term vacations.
• Extra curriculum beyond the syllabus.
• Minimum 270 days class in a year. (In normal schools the annual working days are 185 days).
• 3 years course (Class I, II & III)
• Daily lesson must be completed in the class every day
• Minimum home work and which the student can be done without any guidance from the parents or private tutors
• There is no periodic examination but the continuous evaluation is done.
• There is always a friendly environment and no physical and mental punishment for the children.
• All writing & reading materials supplied by the authority. But cost effective materials are encouraged. Uniforms are also provided for the students if funds are available.

Teaching Curriculum:

• Introducing Bangla alphabets & words
• Reading, understanding and writing simple compositions in Bangla.
• Simple Arithmetic
• Social Science, Environment, Health & Nutrition, Primary Health Care, Music, Dance, Physical Training, Sports & Games, Art, etc.
• Mainly, Bangla, Arithmetic, Science, Social Science & Environmental Subjects are taught from Class I to III which are based on our National curriculum for Primary Education.
• 1^st period on Arithmetic, 2^nd period on Bangla and 3^rd period on subjects like Social Science, Health and Nutrition, Primary Health, Art and General Knowledge etc. are taught every day.

Lesson Plan:

Lesson Plan is very important of the NFPE. Teachers should plan her lesson in the first day of the week in a Register; lesson plan would be recorded left side page of the register and the achievement during the week be recorded in the right side page. This would be checked by the superior.

Method of Examination:

The rate of dropout in the traditional schools is high because of examination phobia of the students. For this reason formal periodic examination such as quarterly and annual examinations are avoided in these schools. But the alternative method is that 10 quiz tests of 10 marks each on each subject is held throughout the year at regular intervals, preferably at the end of each chapter. At the end of the year the total marks would be considered as annual result. Based on these marks the annual progress report of the student is prepared. These on-going examinations are held in Bangla, Mathematics, Science & Social Science and Environment.

Class Room:

• Maximum 40 student in a class and one Teacher for them
• Generally the student be seated in "U" pattern if the premises permits.
• Room size 10’ X 25’ = 250 sq.ft.
• One class is a school.

Teaching Staff:

• Teachers’ qualification will be minimum Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) passed.
• She would be one of the permanent resident of the community.
• Married Female Teachers are preferred for teaching because they have maternal affection which is imperative for teaching children.
• Teacher must be very alert to maintain the drop-out rate of children at the minimum not more than 10%.
• The same teacher continues with the same class for the three consecutive years.

Conclusion:

This is a new approach for teaching but it has been already proved to be a model of increasing literacy rate in our country and most of the large NGOs have adopted this model of education as a crash program to increase the rate of illiteracy at a rapid pace. The largest NGO in Bangladesh "BRAC" is operating more than 30,000 thousand of NFPE Schools through out the country. Most of the NGOs who are working in the field of children education have adopted this method of primary teaching for which have shown positive results in increasing children education in the country. It is worth mentioning that the Education Ministry of the Government of Bangladesh have also started this program as supplementary efforts to its existing primary education program to ensure education for all children within a short span of time. The Government Directorate of Non Formal Primary Education is working in this field. It has been appreciated and encouraged by the educational philanthropist locally and internationally. We hope that the YMCA too, will manage to contribute towards the primary education program in a more effective manner by adopting this program. We all look forward for that bright day when all the children will have the opportunity to have primary education in this country. Not a single children will be left out.