“I motivate my teachers so that they remember and carry on EIA’s practices, they learnt from training.” - Tapan Kumar Sarkar, Khona K B High School, Head Teacher, DacopeUpazila, Khulna

Head teachers are the highest administrative authority in a school. In the last eight years, EIA has had the opportunity to interact and support many experienced head teachers, who have helped spread EIA’s approaches in every aspect. They have workedto bring changes in administrative and in pedagogical areas in the school. They select English teachers for training and ensure their attendance in different meetings. They have adjusted class routines and class locations for English teachers. They initiate peer learning environment and follow-ups within the school, which aid professional development for teachers.  They inspire teachers to observe each other’s classes providing constructive feedback and encourage other teachers to practise the techniques in other subjects.

“As a Head teacher I mainly provide encouragement, arrange Teacher Development Meetings, arrange materials and ensure the use of materials in the classroom.” -  Md. Nazmul Haque, Head Teacher, KhonaKhola Model Primary School, Keraniganj, Dhaka

Some head teachers use EIA rhymes with speakers in the assembly, which makesthe assembly enjoyable because students like therhymes. Head teachers are taking several initiatives for practising English like: greeting students, making provision for storytelling, rhymes and singing songs in cultural events, encouragingteachersand students to form English club in school, publishing school magazine in English etc. In these ways, these teachers promote English as a language, not just as a subject. Some of them are sharing EIA’s best practices with parents and other members of SMC (School Management Committee) and PTA (Parents’ Teacher Association) meetings. Whereas, some are helping nearby non-EIA schools by copying EIA digital materials for promoting English in school and in the community.

“We often play EIA songs in our morning assembly and all students together enjoy those with action. This is a common practice not only for us, but also most of the schools in AnowaraUpazila.” - Sujoy Paul, Head Teacher, PurboBairag Govt. Primary School, AnowaraUpazila, Chittagong 

DelegatesfromJICA, UNICEF, UNDP, DFAT and DFID,along with the Education Officers of Khulna Sadar,visited two schools on 9th May 2016. The visit was planned to observe the ongoing operations of primary education and identify the demands for post PEDP-3 programme.

The EIA project was visited by delegates due to its substantial impact in terms of changes in the classroom. Theyobserved English classes conducted by EIA teachers in Nur Nagar Model Government Primary School andNurjahan Mahbub Government Primary School in Khulna.

The delegates spoke to the students to find out if they are keen to learn English and whether they are enjoying their classes or not. They also had a fruitful discussion with school teachers and head teachers. The delegates appreciated students’ achievements and gave feedback to the teachers on classroom activities. They congratulated the changes EIA has brought to the classrooms.

The EIA team participated in the ‘Shikhya O UnnayanMela’ (Education and Development Fair) at BICC, Dhaka,organized by CAMPE (Campaign for Popular Education) on 30th April, 2016. Along with EIA, 30 other Government and Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), who work in the field of education and training, showcased their programmes. Md. Humayun Kabir, Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education; Mr. Nazrul Islam Khan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Education; Mr. ShymalKanti Ghosh, Former Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and ex Director General, Directorate of Primary Education; Ms. Rasheda K. Chowdhury, Executive Director, CAMPE; Dr. Mizanur Rahman, Chairman, Bangladesh Human Rights Commission were present amongst others at the event.

The eventoffered a platform to exchange ideas with different organizations working together for the betterment of education in Bangladesh.They shared resources and materials with each other. Most of the participatingorganizationsshowed interest in receiving EIA materials and training for their teachers.Along with this, a number of non EIA and EIA teachers visited the Fair and received information on updated EIA classroom materials. EIA posters and flashcards were liked by the students of adjacent schools, who also visited the EIA stallat the Fair.

At this final stage of the project, EIA aims to focus on institutionalization and sustainability, particularly at local levels. With this focus, EIA is organizing a series of events “Networking Forum” at District and Divisional level across the country. The goal of theseevents is to ensure that the key Education Officers at local levels are aware of the good practices of Teacher Professional Development promoted by EIA and support their Upazilas and Districtsto continue these.

The ‘kickoff’Networking Forum event was held in Teachers Training College, Dhaka, on 27th April 2016, with around 50 participants from four Districts of Dhaka Division. District Primary Education Officers (DPEOs), Primary Teacher Training Institute Superintendents, Assistant District Primary Education Officers (ADPEOs), Upazila Education Officers (UEOs), Assistant Upazila Education Officers (AUEOs), Upazila Resource Centre Instructors (URCIs), Assistant Upazila Resource Centre Instructors (AURCIs), Head Teachers and Assistant Teachers from different schools from Dhaka, Munshiganj, Manikganj and NarayanganjDistricts were present at the event.

Participants discussed the need to support each other within the Districts to improve English teaching and learning in the classes and Teacher Professional Development for teachers

Mr. Shawpon Kumar Dhali, Principal, Teachers Training College, Dhaka; Shah Sufi Mohammad Ali Reza, Divisional Director, DPE, Dhaka; Sue Williamson, Team Leader, EIA and Zahir-Bin-Siddique, Deputy Team Leader, EIAwere present atthe event. The next events are planned to take place in Chittagong, Sylhet, Rangpur, Rajsahi, Barisal, Khulna, Mymensingh in the coming months.
View more photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/eiabd/sets/72157665491449223