M M Jasim :
The government is going to set up 1,000 more Para Kendras in the remote hilly areas of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, said the Ministry of Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs sources.
There are about 4,000 Para Kendras in the hill districts.
The Para Kendras are playing significant role in improving education and healthcare services in remote hilly areas.
It is also the center of the local pre-school education and healthcare which
set up by the joint initiative of Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
It has been run under the Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP) in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT).
The government with the assistance of the cost of the UNICEF will spend Tk 425.50 crore to implement the project by June 2021.
The Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Md Mesbahul Islam said, the Para Kendras are the model of social service. It has already gained the popularity as the underprivileged people from both the ethnic minorities and the Bengalese have been benefitted significantly.
“The hill tract people demand more Para Kendras. That is why, the government has planned to establish 1,000 more Para Kendras,” he said.
“Para Kendras are becoming the focal point of all development activities offering pre-school education and parenting education on early childhood development, demonstration on gardening, information about low cost hygienic latrines and safe drinking water, vitamin A capsules for lactating women and fortified biscuits for children attending preschools,” the Secretary said.
The Ministry sources said, the new 1,000 Para Kendras will be set up in 121 unions under 26 upazilas of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts.
Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts captured 10 per cent lands of Bangladesh, but the population is one per cent out of the country’s total population. There are 11 ethnic minorities people in the hill districts. They are mostly farmers and a good number of them are illiterate. So they need fundamental services like education and health care. The Para Kendras have been playing important role to fulfill the fundemental needs of the people, the ministry officials said.
Mothers read book to their children and teach them the basic skills before enrolling them in primary school. It is a rare scene where poor rate of literacy and malnutrition among children were prevalent and maternal health was neglected, they said.
They said that the scenario, however, was changing there as the children aged between three and six were receiving pre-school education at Para Kendras under the supervision of a woman of their community.
Mothers of these kids are also learning about healthcare and nutrition as well as water and sanitation issues at the centres.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the government and the UNICEF on July 11, 1980 in order to improve socio-economic condition of tribal people, especially the women and children.
The government is going to set up 1,000 more Para Kendras in the remote hilly areas of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban, said the Ministry of Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs sources.
There are about 4,000 Para Kendras in the hill districts.
The Para Kendras are playing significant role in improving education and healthcare services in remote hilly areas.
It is also the center of the local pre-school education and healthcare which
set up by the joint initiative of Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF).
It has been run under the Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP) in Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT).
The government with the assistance of the cost of the UNICEF will spend Tk 425.50 crore to implement the project by June 2021.
The Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Md Mesbahul Islam said, the Para Kendras are the model of social service. It has already gained the popularity as the underprivileged people from both the ethnic minorities and the Bengalese have been benefitted significantly.
“The hill tract people demand more Para Kendras. That is why, the government has planned to establish 1,000 more Para Kendras,” he said.
“Para Kendras are becoming the focal point of all development activities offering pre-school education and parenting education on early childhood development, demonstration on gardening, information about low cost hygienic latrines and safe drinking water, vitamin A capsules for lactating women and fortified biscuits for children attending preschools,” the Secretary said.
The Ministry sources said, the new 1,000 Para Kendras will be set up in 121 unions under 26 upazilas of Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts.
Rangamati, Khagrachhari and Bandarban districts captured 10 per cent lands of Bangladesh, but the population is one per cent out of the country’s total population. There are 11 ethnic minorities people in the hill districts. They are mostly farmers and a good number of them are illiterate. So they need fundamental services like education and health care. The Para Kendras have been playing important role to fulfill the fundemental needs of the people, the ministry officials said.
Mothers read book to their children and teach them the basic skills before enrolling them in primary school. It is a rare scene where poor rate of literacy and malnutrition among children were prevalent and maternal health was neglected, they said.
They said that the scenario, however, was changing there as the children aged between three and six were receiving pre-school education at Para Kendras under the supervision of a woman of their community.
Mothers of these kids are also learning about healthcare and nutrition as well as water and sanitation issues at the centres.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between the government and the UNICEF on July 11, 1980 in order to improve socio-economic condition of tribal people, especially the women and children.
