BRAC University held an orientation of projects “Orko” and “Srijon” at the university’s Savar residential campus on June 23. The projects focus on improving the lives of underprivileged children of the Akran School and College, situated around 1.5 kilometers from the campus. The children come from extremely low-income families which are often unable to afford formal education, for which many children often drop out of secondary school. BRAC has taken up the responsibility to not only help them get through secondary school but also teach them important life skills.
As a part of this, tutors from BRAC University’s Savar residential campus have been selected to implement the projects. The Orko project is of two years, focusing on teaching students of grades 9 and 10 by breaking down and simplifying the syllabus so that they can sit for their SSC exams. Meanwhile, the Srijon project is of one year, targeting students of grades 6, 7 and 8. The primary objective is to teach basic ICT skills, instill social awareness and address all issues which young adolescents may find overwhelming and difficult to deal with, such as reproductive health and cyber bullying.
The projects are being assisted by BRAC Educational Program, under which workshops were held earlier training and informing teachers and tutors of all necessary requirements and details.
Addressing BRAC University students at the orientation, Dr. Samia Huq, Dean of the School of General Education, said, “You all are here for a better future. As important as that is, it is equally important to extend that goal to others so that in the process of building a better future, you are able to take others along with you on that journey. To students of the Akran school, she said, “We are all going to help each other. We are going to learn collectively. You all are on the way to success too. All we are going to do is help you understand the world a little bit better.”
Md. Harun Al-Rashid, Principal of the Akran School and College, pointed out how today’s kids were much smarter than they used to be, and how in the learning process, the exchange should be mutual, that the tutors must be as enthusiastic as the children so as to keep up their interest.
Two designated tutors, Shah Mohammad Aslam Ali of Orko and Tanvir Ahmed of Srijon expressed their enthusiasm about their roles and responsibilities alongside heartfelt gratitude to have been bestowed with such an opportunity. Monni Akhtar Prety of grade 9 of the school also shared her beliefs and expectations from the projects. Mir Faisal Sadik, Campus Superintendent, spoke about how everyone has the exact same capacity for greatness and that it was possible for everybody, regardless of backgrounds and positions, to do wonders in life.
Ismail Hossain Saadi, a teacher of the campus, hosted the orientation where his colleague, Md. Rejaul Karim Raju, rendered a song.