JAAGO's Education Response to COVID -19 in Bangladesh

Since 2007, JAAGO Foundation has been providing Quality Education to thousands of underprivileged children all over Bangladesh. Currently, the total student population is 4000 which consists of 47.67 % male and 52.33 % female. The schools employ over 300 teachers and staff. Since its inception, JAAGO has been using technology and digital education. Thus, amidst the pandemic and the lockdown, it was easier for us to implement digital education.

The Journey towards Tele Education during COVID-19 Crisis

During the pandemic, JAAGO has been ensuring that the students and their families survive this crisis and return to school. Since April 2020, JAAGO Foundation has provided food packages & other essentials to all the students’ families and surrounding communities. Our project officers & community officers took regular health updates of our students, their family members & the neighbours over the phone. We also informed them of the appropriate COVID-19 hygiene protocols & precautions.To stop the spread of COVID infection , educational institutions have been shut all over the world, and thus e-learning has become the preferred mode of education. Due to the socio-economic condition of our students, there is no alternative to conducting classes other than through mobile phones.

JAAGOs Tel-Ed initiative, which started in June 2020, is one such program that utilises mobile phones (voice call service & short messaging service) to conduct classes. Through this initiative, students are receiving formal quality education from home, and regular participation is ensured to reduce the dropout rate.With this interactive model, our trained teachers conduct classes over phone as well as provide lessons and homeworks via text messages and whatsapp. Every week parents come to the school and submit the homework to teachers. Parents are also provided regular updates of their child’s progress. Regarding the young students, their parents are encouraged to be more involved with this initiative, while the older students are trained to develop their self-learning skills.

Book Distribution

Students received NCTB & JAAGO Foundation’s books during the pandemic. We invited our guardians to receive the books from the school premises.

Relief Distribution

Since the coronavirus outbreak we have been distributing food bags to underprivileged families all over Bangladesh. Till now, we have helped more than 1 Lac families. Thanks to all of you who are helping by putting food on their table.

Ratna’s Days in COVID-19

Ratna is a student of class 2 in JAAGO Foundation School Dinajpur branch. She comes from a region where there was no electricity even a few years ago; now, she is attending online digital classes. Ratna’s father, a farmer, shared his thoughts about why he admitted his daughter to this school: “I, along with my wife, who works for a local NGO, both make a living for our family. When the pandemic hit and schools were closed, Ratna became very upset. Because of JAAGOs innovative Tel-Ed initiative, Ratna is back to studying, and she can dream about her future again.”