With the support of USAID and technical assistance from Save the Children, READ project organized a roundtable discussion with the journalists of Cox’s Bazar on Bangladeshi media’s role to ensure positive changes in Primary Education and advancing reading enhancement on August 9, 2017, at Sea Palace Hotel, Cox’s Bazar.
The discussants’ journalists were present to share their view on how they are reporting on the issues regarding the changes in primary educations sector, quality education, and the importance of enhancing Bangla reading skill to ensure quality education during the roundtable.
Mr. Osman Goni, District Education Officer, Cox’s Bazar, attended the roundtable as Chief Guest. Md. Akidul Islam, Deputy Director-Reading, READ, Save the Children in Bangladesh, and Mr. Afsar Habib, Director, CODEC, graced the event as special guests. Mr. Abu Taher, President, Cox’s Bazar Journalists’ Union, chaired the roundtable. 25 journalists from newspaper, online, and broadcast media attended the discussion. Mr. Samiul Ahsan, Manager-Communications and Private Engagement, READ, Save the Children in Bangladesh, and Mr. Tassaduk Hossain Dulu, Focal Person, and Deputy Director-Education, CODEC, also attended the roundtable with other officials from Save the Children, CODEC.
Chief guest Mr. Osman Goni, District Education Officer, Cox’s Bazar, emphasized on ensuring grade-level reading skill for the children of grade I-II. He said, “Primary education is the foundation of all sort of education, and grade I-II is the foundation of quality primary education as all the children achieve literacy skills in this period.” Md. Akidul Islam, Deputy Director-Reading, READ, Save the Children in Bangladesh, talked about how READ project is working to increase reading competencies among grade I-III students in READ-supported schools across the country. Ms. Meher Nigar Jerin, Deputy Manager-Media Relations, READ, Save the Children in Bangladesh, discussed how media is responding to the changes in primary education in Bangladesh, and how media plays a role in shaping public opinion, initiating positive change and influencing people’s behavior and action.
Mr. Afsar Habib, Director, CODEC, emphasized on media’s role to promote quality education and enhance reading skill among children. He also mentioned that social development organization and media must have a collaboration to bring positive change in the primary education sector and ensure its sustainability. As a journalist and the Chair of the roundtable, Mr. Abu Taher, President, Cox’s Bazar Journalists’ Union, described why covering issues related to primary education is important. Some of the participant journalists also praised READ’s activities in Cox’s Bazar and shared their experience of visiting READ’s implementation area.
Besides discussing how media is responding to the changes in primary education in Bangladesh, the participant journalists conveyed the challenges they face in order to cover the issues regarding primary education in local and national newspapers. It brought out some recommendations from the journalists to ensure wider and effective coverage of primary education in Bangladesh.
Since 2013, USAID has been supporting Save the Children in implementing READ project at different locations of Bangladesh and Cox’s Bazar is one of them— where 91 Government Primary Schools and 35 Community Reading Camps are working to improve early grade reading competence. Save the Children has partnered with Community Development Center (CODEC) for the implementation of READ’s activities in Cox’s Bazar.
