rib-kajolimodel.org

TRAINING OF TEACHERS FOR NEW KAJOLI CENTERS

As part of routine capacity building activities, a series of training programmes (in 4 batches) for the teachers of new Kajoli Centres were organised during April-July/2010 in 4 different locations of Nilphamari and Panchagar districts. Number of teachers received training included 62 in Nilphamari and 18 in Panchagar. At the end of the training each teacher was provided with a set of educational materials. Saifuzzaman Rana, Education Coordinator of RIB conducted the training programmes as the
principal trainer. He was assisted by: (i) Imtiaj Islam Bosunia (local animator) in Domar Upazila (Nilphamari); (ii) Jadu Miah (local animator), Alepjan Begum and Asma Begum (experienced teachers)  in Panchapukur (Sadar Upazila, Nilphamari); and (iii) Mohiruddin (local animator) and Deepali Sarker, trainer-cum-teacher from Kajoli Centre ( Sripur, Magura) assisted in Kishoreganj Upazila. Apurba Kumar Bose, intern of RIB also helped in conducting the training programmes. Local animator Saidur Rahman
assisted Saifuzzaman Rana for organising and conducting training programmes. These 3-daylong programmes were concentrated on hands-on- training of using Kajoli Model educational materials and discussion on community ownership building of Kajoli Centres. Demands for establishing more Centres are increasing and training to the teachers of 50 such new Centres are yet to be organised. To cope up with the increasing demands for newly eastablished Kajoli Centres it has become difficult for only 3 animators who have been engaged to disseminate the philosophy of Kajoli approach among the villagers as well as helping the local communities to establish new centres with community participation and ownership. Number of local animators thus needs to be increased.

KAJOLI MODEL ATTRACTING RESEARCHERS FROM OUTSIDE BANGLADESH

Masato Miyake, a Masters student from Tokyo University, Japan, recently spent 15 days in Bangladesh to gather information for his dissertation research work on community participation, ownership and sustainability of the Kajoli Pre-School Centres for children of disadvantaged families in Bangladesh. Masato learnt about Kajoli pre-schools from its Website (www.rib-kajolimodel.org). He spent most of his time in visiting 22 pre-schools in Kishoreganj, Saidpur and Sadar Upazillas of Nilphamari. During visit to these Centres Masato undertook extensive as well as intensive discussions with the teachers, children, animators and community members.