Education, considered as the backbone of the nation, is the basement of a society which is significant to realize the potential of an individual as well as for the advancement of society. Over the last few decades, Bangladesh has made remarkable progress in expanding access to education and achieving education for all. Undoubtedly, the education sector of our country has improved markedly over the last few decades. Nevertheless, Bangladesh, one of the most densely populated countries of the world having about 18 crores of people, faces several challenges in the education sector and its worst victims are the students from the lower socio-economic background. There are some dormant burdens faced by the disadvantaged segments which are out of oration and no one comes forward to investigate the accomplishments and find a way how to continue their study smoothly. Though the Bangladesh government has taken some initiatives, for instance, providing free books, giving long term stipends, one-time monetary assistance, unpaid education privileges, and many more aegis, still a good number of students from lower economic status, who have merit and caliber to secure themselves in a prestigious position, are silently saying goodbye to their academic life due to their unfavorable and unwelcomed conditions in the current education system.
In Bangladesh, some NGOs have been working for socioeconomic transformation since our independence. Currently, about 400 nongovernment organizations are involved directly or indirectly with diverse education programs focusing mostly the children from underprivileged segments. Brac, Save the Children, JAAGO Foundation, SOS Children's Village, World Vision, Plan International, Children International, and Manusher Manusher Jonyo Foundation are remarkable NGOs WHO are providing immense support to the students, particularly the disadvantaged segments of the students. Among these NGOs, Manush Manusher Jonyo Foundation(MMJF), an American Based nonprofit organization working with disadvantaged students in Bangladesh has been working for the development of students from poor economic backgrounds. It has introduced a comprehensive education model intending to stand up before disadvantaged students in their tough times and help them to be self–dependent. Thus it wants to make the students able to live in society with self-dignity and put a gigantic impact on changing society as well as the country.
Bangladesh government has been doing a laudable job by providing free books to the students from primary to secondary level. Getting new books at the starting of the academic years is a very helpful project from the government for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who are unable to buy new books every year that removes classroom-level discrimination among the students from insolvent families and poverty-stricken families. Economically disadvantaged segments of students nowadays no longer feel depressed with second-hand books, and worn-out books before them in the classroom and it works as a blessing for the family due to not spending money to buy books for their kids. But still, there are some silent blockages for the guardians in charge of the students at both SSC & HSC levels. Before sitting for SSC and HSC examinations, the students have to register themselves according to the government-stipulated fees and the board registration fee (form Fill-Up fee) has been fixed at Tk. 2020 to Tk. 2140 for Humanities, Business Studies, and Science streams. Moreover, the education ministry has fixed Tk 2120 for the humanities and business studies group and Tk. 2680 for the students from the science group which places a tremendous financial burden on the guardian who is in economic crisis. This board registration fee creates an intolerable burden for the guardian who works as lower paid work such as a farmer, day laborer, rickshaw puller, van driver, blacksmith, etc., or in other small occupations. It is often noticed by different media that many brilliant but disadvantaged students can’t sit for the SSC & HSC examination due to the inability of their guardians to pay the registration fee and none shows interest to know the reason behind their departure from school and college . In Bangladesh, only MMJF has been providing a one-time stipend for the meritorious but underprivileged students so that they can sit for SSC and HSC examination without bearing extra pressure for them and for their family head to pay the board registration fees. Every year this NGOs provides one time stipend among 300-400 disadvantaged students as far as I know.
Recently, MMJF has auspicated a panorama study package for underprivileged students named ‘MMJF HSC Bridging Stipend' that will help the students, who are in financial crisis, to complete their HSC level education by getting a set of opportunities like college admission aid, books, and stationary aid, board registration fee, monthly scholarship, University/medical preparation monthly scholarship, and University/Medical Admission Test Aid (From Fill-Up Aid and Travel Cost). Under this program, students from the middle class and lower middle class but brilliant are allowed to make them suit for the next admission war by getting well prepared from their HSC level. Students who are in financial inadequacy can apply for this stipend from every district of Bangladesh. At the HSC level students are provided with a one-time scholarship as college admission Aid during the College admission echelon. Many students across the country get this opportunity who can’t afford the amount asked by the authority where they want to get in themselves. At the intermediate level, monthly stipends are also provided to those who can’t bear their educational expenses due to economic quandary, and female students from underprivileged are given more priority as they are considered as the most deprived segment of our society.
After completing HSC examination, most of the students from humanities and business study ambience want to get admission at renowned public university, as well as the students from science backgrounds cherish to be a part of a medical college or in a science and technology university like BUET, KUET, etc. But the path to get a seat at a public university or in a medical college isn’t easy enough in our country’s context as it is very competitive process where the students need to shape themselves properly under rampant care and guidance. In Bangladesh context, it is an extremely stressful phase for aspirants from rural areas as they don’t get any information and guidance about admission battles. As a result, many brilliant students from rural areas particularly from poor families can’t get the chance to meet their dreams and their dreams remained untouched. It’s a common picture of rural Bangladesh is that extraordinary brilliant students, who have the merit and capacity to hold the first position in the admission battles, have occluded their very potential journey due to not getting emergent facilitation from their families although they could change their current situation by their worth and excellence. A good news to wise up is that Manush Manusher Jonyo Foundation (MMJF) has been working with these pupils since 2008 to make them fit for the admission battles by providing university and medical preparation aid for five to six months bringing the students from rural areas of Bangladesh and providing intensive care and guidance by the volunteers and students of the foundation. Every year about 300-400 students get chance at different public universities and medical colleges under the umbrella of MMJF. It also helps these disadvantaged learners by providing one-time financial assistance so that the financially vulnerable students can buy the form of their dream institutions. Besides, it provides travel costs to the students who travel from rural areas to the admission center cost much for the poor guardians and most of the families show unwillingness to take this extra pressure as they aren’t financially solvent enough.
Manush Manusher Jonyo Foundation (MMJF) also works with university students. Many underprivileged students and students from poverty-stricken families get admission with their countless efforts but their sufferings to manage the admission fees can be noticed if we have a look at the electronic and print media during admission season. Many students can’t get admission to their aspired universities due to their financial freights. Therefore, it plays a significant role by providing university and medical college admission aid to meritorious students with poor financial backgrounds coming from rural and impoverished regions of Bangladesh. Every year it receives thousands of applications for university and medical college admission help and provides support after three stages of verification with the volunteers. It also provides monthly stipends who are in need and unable to carry the educational expenses. Every month newly selected students are provided monthly scholarships with the preconditions that they have to perform well and cut brilliant figures in academic results and they are committed to being honest in their personal life and they will stand before the underprivileged students when they will be capable. Very few organizations in our country provide support with such a precondition that motivates them to be successful and lead an honest life.
Aside from education support, it aims to uplift the socio-economic conditions of underprivileged students and their communities through eradicating poverty with a new model named the ‘Naba Alo Rehabilitation Project'. It is a poverty reduction project where the students can apply for their own families and can choose more than 3 families to help a project worth 5-6 thousand taka. The success rate of this project is tremendous. When the students from a very unheeded segment place themselves at a renowned university or medical, they start contemplating the fragile socioeconomic conditions that are harrowing. They can’t concentrate on their study thinking about their family conditions. It drastically occurs when a student had lost his or her family head who worked for the family but now he is the eldest son or daughter and the family responsibility mob on their shoulder. In this crucial time, MMJF put its hand on their shoulder and say never lose hope, we have another project for your family. The Naba Alo project of MMJF gives a message to the underprivileged students that they shouldn’t just live for themselves, they need to live for everyone in their community. However, it is the first NGO in Bangladesh that covers a comprehensive arena of the disadvantaged segments of students from poor economic backgrounds and impoverished areas of Bangladesh to make self – dependent and let them live with self – dignity. By doing something sustainable, MMJF wants to put a long lasting impact among the students as well as in the society.
Razu Ahmed is Residential Student at Salimullah Muslim Hall, University of Dhaka
