Sharing and Learning: Bangladesh and India

This documentary film presents the results of two innovative educational programs in Bangladesh and India, which have achieved important progress in terms of access and equity in education. The Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), set up in 1972 to rebuild and develop rural areas, uses alternative, results-oriented teaching schemes. Great attention is given to training the teachers who subsequently benefit from on-going support and supervision systems as well as regular further education. This large-scale program gives ample liberty to local districts to define their own needs and priorities. India has succeeded in reaching the dual goal of meeting the very diverse learning needs of its minority populations while expanding mass education. In 1994, the government launched the District Primary Education Project (DPEP) to improve education access for disadvantaged children. The program has been an overall success, leading to a rise in enrolment rates and a drop in repetition rates between 1995 and 1999.