The British Council, Bangladesh and D.Net signed a partnership agreement on March 13, 2012 for the purposes of establishing 15 Computer Learning Centers and 50 Smart Class Rooms in different schools around the country. This project will enhance standard of education through ICT skill, online collaboration, project based learning and digital agenda.
The signing program was held at British Council Bangladesh Office, 5 Fullar Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Ms. Rosemary Arnott, Director, Mr. Ahsanul Azad, Project Manager and Mr. Mostofa Siraj Mohiuddin, Project Coordinator, were present from British Council side. After exchanging warm greetings, Ms. Arnott wanted to know about D.Net. Dr. Raihan share that D.Net is a social enterprise and work on access to information and knowledge. In addition, Dr. Raihan mentioned that the Computer Literacy Program (CLP) is one of the remarkable program developed in collaboration with VAB-NJ (New Jersey chapter of Volunteers Association for Bangladesh,US) in 2004. We are very proud because some eminent NRBs are involved with this project. The main objective of the CLP is to promote the knowledge and usage of computers among needy students in rural Bangladesh and bridge the rural-urban, underprivileged-affluent digital divide. CLP has evolved over these years and spawned new initiatives Smart Class Room (SCR) in 2010 under a Public-Private Partnership Initiative with the Government of Bangladesh to promote e-learning. A SCR is complemented lecture-based instruction in a conventional class room, where students taught through the use of interactive educational contents and internet. Through SCR program, teachers feel more confident and empowered. Ms. Arnott was very glad to know about D.Net activities.
Ms. Arnott mentioned that the British Council is implementing a project in Bangladesh called “Schools Online Program”. Schools Online is a web community with a variety of online tools designed to help enable schools, teachers, head teachers & educators across the globe. It is also create learning opportunities, learn about different culture, online collaboration within and across countries, building trust among cultures and countries & create opportunities for students to be Global Citizen. She also mentioned that 65 schools are very small, but wished that the project will spread and be implemented in large scale.
Dr. Ananya Raihan, Executive Director, Mr. Ajoy Kumar Bose, Joint Director and S M Kamruddin Ropum, Assistant Director, were present there from D.Net side. Mr. Mostofa Siraj Mohiuddin also shared some components of British Council programs like Connecting Schools, Active Citizen Program etc. Mr. Bose wanted to participate and integrate CLCs in these British Council Programs. British Council was agreed to cooperate D.Net according to Mr. Bose’s proposal.
