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BSDS Non-formal Primary Education
Program (NFPE) is
initiated as a three-year program for children. The schools are provided with
books and other materials free of charge. Most schools are bamboo or mud-walled,
one-room village structures with a thatch or tin roof, and a minimum floor space
of 360 square feet.
The Students
The limited class size of 30 to 33 students helps to forge a special bond
between the teachers and students. The students of BSDS schools are mostly the
children of the poor and landless. These children are between the ages of 8 and
10 years, who had never enrolled in any school or who had dropped out from the
formal schools. BSDS considered that it was necessary to specifically target
girls for enrollment, as opposed to leaving that option to parents who might
continue to favor boys. As a result of the program's special emphasis on the
enrollment of girls, about 70% children in NFPE schools are female.
The Teachers
All the teachers in BSDS schools are women and local residents of the village.
The teacher must have at least nine years of schooling. All teachers are
provided with a 15-day initial intensive training. This is followed annually by
training to prepare for each year. Regular one-day monthly refreshers are also
provided. In all schools the same teacher conducts a full cycle. In BSDS Schools
the teacher student relationship tends to be very close. In the school 30 to 33
children sit on mats arranged in a large U shape. That helps to create an
informal, interactive, participatory atmosphere, conducive to the involvement of
all children.
Curriculum
The Curriculum has been tailored to suit the needs of rural children. The
curriculum covers the five-year primary curriculum. The curriculum incorporates
competencies set out by the government for formal primary schools. The
curriculum design encourages a learner-centered participatory approach. The
teacher encourages group learning and participation. The schools maintain an
environment, which makes the lesson interesting and helps the children gain a
greater understanding of their subjects. The NFPE curriculum consists of lessons
in Bangla, Mathematics and Social Studies. English is taught from class II.
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