Rangamati Correspondent :
To put an end to the disparity in providing education among the backward ethnic groups living in the remote areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), four residential schools run by the Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP) under Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB), are rendering educational services to at least 800 children every year with a view to bringing them into the mainstream education.
Earlier, the people of these areas were not aware of availing education. It is mainly due to hardship in finding out the means for their livelihood let alone education. Now around 800 students from grade-3 to secondary level, are receiving education at the residential schools with provision of free accommodation, food, dress, education and reading materials as well. All expenses of the residential schools are met from the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) grant under the project.
All the four schools have at least 10 acres of land including academic buildings, offices cum teacher’s common rooms, hostels for boys and girls, teachers’ dormitories, kitchens cum dining halls, play grounds and ponds. There is a management committee for each school headed by the local upazila nirbahi officer along with local elites, govt. officials, representative of guardians. In the current fiscal year, Tk. 5.24 crore have been allocated by the government to meet the recurring expenses like food cost for the students, uniforms, educational aids and salary for teachers and staff of the schools.
Some Tk 1.17 crore have been allocated for Mro Residential School, Tk 1.36 crore for Ruma Residential school, Tk 1.29 crore for Alikadam Residential school and Tk 1.42 crore for Rajasthali Residential school.
Mro Residential School situated in Bandarban also provides teaches extra-curricular activities side by side general education to the people of Mro and Khumi communities, who are considered to be the most backward in CHT region.
Other three schools provide formal education to the underprivileged section of the ethnic people. There are 60 teachers and 56 supporting staff to accomplish the daily activities of the schools. Every year more than 50 million taka are being spent to run the schools smoothly.
Kaiwang Mro, who studied in Mro Residential School said “In 2001, I got Honours and Masters degree from Chittagong University. At first, I did not want to go to this school because I loved staying with my parents. But both my parents wanted me to go to the school. The school then had quite a number of students and the standard was also good.” “The entire ‘Mro’ community has 70,000 people. Among them, I am the first graduate, he added.”
Another former student, Run Le Mro is the first girl from the school who got higher education, “I am the only girl who attended the SSC exam and passed in the exam.”. I got total family support from my family, hence I managed to get higher education, she added.
In last year (2013), a total of 78 students appeared in SSC exam and 72 student (92.31% passed the exam and in JSC and PSC 100% student passed the exam. So far 46 students have got primary scholarship and 15 students have got Junior scholarship from the school. Presently, 297 students are receiving higher education after completion of SSC from their respective schools.
The students of these residential schools are now working in many government offices, primary schools and NGOs. Some of them become Public leader, like Mr. Ranglai Mro, UP Chairman, Mr. Khamlai Mro, Upazila Chairman, Mr. Aungprue and Chig U, Councilor Bandarban Hill District Council, Mr. Krayano Mro and Lelong Khumi are working with CHTDB and UNDP respectively. Although the residential schools have created a tremendous impact on expansion of basic education to ethnic minority of Chittagong Hill Tracts but still facing some challenges to do the job perfectly. Project Manager, ICDP, Md Jan-e-Alam told this correspondent that out of 116 teachers and staff only 9 teachers and 4s staff are getting government’s benefits under Monthly Pay Order (MPO).
To put an end to the disparity in providing education among the backward ethnic groups living in the remote areas of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), four residential schools run by the Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP) under Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB), are rendering educational services to at least 800 children every year with a view to bringing them into the mainstream education.
Earlier, the people of these areas were not aware of availing education. It is mainly due to hardship in finding out the means for their livelihood let alone education. Now around 800 students from grade-3 to secondary level, are receiving education at the residential schools with provision of free accommodation, food, dress, education and reading materials as well. All expenses of the residential schools are met from the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) grant under the project.
All the four schools have at least 10 acres of land including academic buildings, offices cum teacher’s common rooms, hostels for boys and girls, teachers’ dormitories, kitchens cum dining halls, play grounds and ponds. There is a management committee for each school headed by the local upazila nirbahi officer along with local elites, govt. officials, representative of guardians. In the current fiscal year, Tk. 5.24 crore have been allocated by the government to meet the recurring expenses like food cost for the students, uniforms, educational aids and salary for teachers and staff of the schools.
Some Tk 1.17 crore have been allocated for Mro Residential School, Tk 1.36 crore for Ruma Residential school, Tk 1.29 crore for Alikadam Residential school and Tk 1.42 crore for Rajasthali Residential school.
Mro Residential School situated in Bandarban also provides teaches extra-curricular activities side by side general education to the people of Mro and Khumi communities, who are considered to be the most backward in CHT region.
Other three schools provide formal education to the underprivileged section of the ethnic people. There are 60 teachers and 56 supporting staff to accomplish the daily activities of the schools. Every year more than 50 million taka are being spent to run the schools smoothly.
Kaiwang Mro, who studied in Mro Residential School said “In 2001, I got Honours and Masters degree from Chittagong University. At first, I did not want to go to this school because I loved staying with my parents. But both my parents wanted me to go to the school. The school then had quite a number of students and the standard was also good.” “The entire ‘Mro’ community has 70,000 people. Among them, I am the first graduate, he added.”
Another former student, Run Le Mro is the first girl from the school who got higher education, “I am the only girl who attended the SSC exam and passed in the exam.”. I got total family support from my family, hence I managed to get higher education, she added.
In last year (2013), a total of 78 students appeared in SSC exam and 72 student (92.31% passed the exam and in JSC and PSC 100% student passed the exam. So far 46 students have got primary scholarship and 15 students have got Junior scholarship from the school. Presently, 297 students are receiving higher education after completion of SSC from their respective schools.
The students of these residential schools are now working in many government offices, primary schools and NGOs. Some of them become Public leader, like Mr. Ranglai Mro, UP Chairman, Mr. Khamlai Mro, Upazila Chairman, Mr. Aungprue and Chig U, Councilor Bandarban Hill District Council, Mr. Krayano Mro and Lelong Khumi are working with CHTDB and UNDP respectively. Although the residential schools have created a tremendous impact on expansion of basic education to ethnic minority of Chittagong Hill Tracts but still facing some challenges to do the job perfectly. Project Manager, ICDP, Md Jan-e-Alam told this correspondent that out of 116 teachers and staff only 9 teachers and 4s staff are getting government’s benefits under Monthly Pay Order (MPO).
