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July24, 2000
Narsingdi,
July 23 (UNB) – Implementation of Total Literacy Movement (TLM)
program titled `Dippyaman Narsingdi’ is going on in full swing in
the district.
The
phase-1 program is being implemented with the financial assistance
from the Asian Development Bank. Other donor agencies for the program
are World Bank, IDA, SDC Norad.
The
main objective of the pilot project is to educate 281,574 adults,
including 1,30,963 males and 1,50,611 females, through the 9,540
centres by August 2000.
In
a bid to give light of elementary education to adult men and women,
the program launched in four upazilas – Sadar, Raipura, Monohardi
and Belabo –in August 14, last year.
Of
the total, some 38,469 males and 38,997 females were taken from
Raipura, 44,042 males and 60,386 females from Sadar, 29,638 males and
30,287 females from Monohardi and 18,814 males and 20,941 females from
Belabo upazilas.
Upazila-wise
centres are: Sadar–2,607, Raipura– 3,555, Monohardi–2,011 and
Belabo–1,367.
These
centres under 60 pilot education centres, set up on experimental
basis, are imparting knowledge of reading, writing and simple
arithmetic to 1,800 illiterate people of 56 unions in these upazilas.
Some 30 persons are enrolled in each centre.
To
teach the adult learners, some 9,540 trained teachers were appointed
and some 630 supervisors were engaged to monitor the progress of the
program. Each teacher is being given Tk 300 and a supervisor Tk 500
for their services.
The
supervisors who are the teachers of local government primary schools
are guiding the teachers of the centres.
Sources
said the government has allocated over
Tk 2.07 lakh initially for the program.
The
centres also provide books, slates, black boards, chalks, dusters,
lamps, kerosene oil and sitting arrangements for the learners. Per
head cost of learners has been estimated at Tk 313.
Local
administration sources said it has sent a proposed budget of over Tk
11.44 crore to the higher authorities for the successful
implementation of the TLM project.
Commenting
on the progress of the project, Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Islam told
UNB that the program is not progressing satisfactorily, as the
villagers are less interested to take the opportunity due to abject
poverty. The teachers and supervisors are also less interested to work
with nominal salary.
“The
program will be effective if the existing problems are solved and the
learners are provided with financial incentives,” he added.
Second
phase of the TLM program would be started after the successful
implementation of first phase, the sources said.
Long
run aim of the program is to develop human resources by growing
awareness about life and livelihood, sanitation, drinking water, food
and nutrition, population control, health care, plantation and income
generating activities like agriculture, handicrafts and small and
cottage industries.
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