Disabilities in Bangladesh Impacts Educational Access

If Bangladesh is to progress as a nation, educating the population will be one of the pillars on which it succeeds.

While Bangladesh's literacy rates have been rising, criticism remains over its expenditure towards the sector and indeed, questioning whether this education has always been inclusive. Too often, it is the most vulnerable and marginalized in society that remain deprived of what is not just a basic right, but arguably the single biggest factor to turning their lives around.

To that end, Bangladesh and the United States through the US Agency for International Development (USAID) launching a new five-year inclusive education project named “Shobai Miley Shikhi” should go a long way to bridging that gap, and bring about more inclusivity to our education sector.

Estimated to be $18 million in costs, this project intends to improve learning opportunities for primary school children in hard-to-reach areas with a focus on those with disabilities or special needs by training teachers to improve their skills in reaching students of all abilities in the classroom and providing specialized learning materials.

Moreover, it is encouraging to see focus on engaging parents, communities, and advocacy organizations for persons with disabilities as well to alleviate some of the unique challenges affecting students with special needs and ultimately, help reduce stigma towards students with disabilities and to help special-needs children complete their education.

These are the kinds of projects that we want to see more and more of in Bangladesh, and it is also the kind of project that developed nations such as the United States can assist Bangladesh with. With the Sustainable Development Goals inching ever closer, projects like this truly embody the “leave no one behind” mantra of the SDGs and will help Bangladesh get closer to fulfilling the goals.