International Development Grant

BRAC Primary Education Program II

Project Number: CA-3-A034250001

Status: Closed

Country/Region:

Bangladesh 100.00%

Maximum Contribution: $19,817,795.00

Start Date: October 12, 2010

End Date: September 30, 2015

Duration: 5.0 years

Project Description

This project aims to provide quality non-formal basic education to 2 million poor children (of whom about 65% are girls) living in remote and underserved areas including children from ethnic backgrounds and children with disabilities. It seeks to increase these children’s performance at school and increase their possibilities for continued education and postponing marriage for girls. The project also contributes to achieving the national goals of the Education for All policy and the Millennium Development Goal 2 (to provide universal primary education for boys and girls including marginalised groups by 2015). The BRAC Primary Education Program works to: (1) support building and operationalizing one-classroom schools in urban slums and rural areas to deliver preschool and primary education; (2) improve the curriculum and learning and teaching materials; (3) enhance teacher training for preschools and primary and secondary schools; and (4) improve management of these schools. All participating preschools (30 thousand) and primary schools (33 thousand) provide a child-friendly learning environment which ensures that every child has an environment that is physically safe. The project also provides training sessions to parents and teachers committees on the importance of regular school attendance raises awareness among 700 communities to encourage use of multi-purpose community learning centres and supports 7 000 youth centres.

Progress & Results Achieved

Results achieved by BRAC with the support of the Government of Canada and other international donors as of December 2013 include: (1) 1 753 269 marginalized children (61% girls) including 6 708 children from ethnic communities (56% girls)and 70 520 children with special needs (52% girls) completed preschool education in 63 963 schools; (2) 864 843 children (63% girls) including 45 581 children from ethnic minorities (57% girls) and 23 750 children with special needs completed grade 5 in BRAC-run primary schools; (3) 801 663 graduates of BRAC primary schools (63% girls) passed the nation-wide grade 5 primary school completion public examination during the period from 2009 to 2013 with an overall pass rate of 99.06% (99.14% for girls); and (6) 41 432 new members (76% girls) joined Adolescent Clubs that were formed with the support of the project. These have contributed to improving the number of poor and marginalized children having access to and completing quality preschool and primary education.

Key Information

Executing Agency:
BRAC

Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada

Program:
OGM Indo-Pacific

Last Modified:
September 19, 2025

Development Classifications

DAC Sector:

Teacher training 10%
Educational research 5%
Primary education 50%
Basic life skills for youth 15%
Early childhood education 20%

Aid Type: Project-type interventions

Collaboration: Bilateral

Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation

Selection Mechanism:
Pre-APP

Policy Markers
Level 1 Gender equality
Level 1 Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting)
Level 2 Children's issues
Level 1 Youth Issues
Level 1 Indigenous Issues
Level 1 Disability
Major Funding (>$1M)
Budget Breakdown
2011-04-01 to 2012-03-31 $19,817,795 CAD
Geographic Information
000
Project Number: CA-3-A034250001