28th January 2014

New pre-school in Mudipara, Sirajganj

In September 2013 we set up a new pre-school at the HBPS centre in Mudipara, Sirajganj with the financial support of Hammem from the UK. With all the disruptions and political hartals (strikes) and oborodhs (blockades) in Bangladesh towards the end of last year, it was impossible for us to get up to the pre-school and take pictures and declare it officially open.

2014 has started more calmly and we are now able to move more easily around the country and so finally we have the update from the new pre-school. Despite all that, the pre-school has been running every day and the 20 children between the ages of 3 and 6 years who attend daily are learning and having fun. According to Jorina the teacher, 18 out of 20 children are already able to recognise all the alphabet and all the children know some rhymes and enjoy to sing and recite them.

It’s great to see the children engaged and safe and having fun while their mum’s are working next door at the HBPS rural production centre. In Bangladesh formal primary schooling doesn’t start until the age of 6 years and even then there is competition for spaces and there are not spaces available for all children. The pre-school gives these children a much better chance of getting into the local primary schools at age 6 because they are already well ahead and used to the school environment.

You can see a little video slideshow of the pre-school here.

We wish all these lovely children a joyous education and success, health and happiness in their lives.

Samantha