Teach For Bangladesh (TFB) is an independent but part of global Teach For All education movement. It is comparatively a new organization, lunched in 2013. Their principal aim is to motivate passionate and qualified young people to become teacher for two years and to help low-privileged students of Bangladesh to succeed academically. In Bangladesh where, for many reasons, educational inequality between rich and poor is very high and where 90% of students do not complete high school, any education and improvement effort of the situation is a god-send.
By focusing on academic achievement, accessible education, effective training and aspiration, TFB has started working to improve the situation. Indeed, Teach For Bangladesh is trying to do two important things in one shot. First, they are trying to provide a quality education to the students who cannot afford it and second, they are giving their talented fellow teachers a chance to become a leader by providing them a challenging situation.
TFB wants more bright, ‘brave’ and Bangladeshi teaching fellows to join the movement. There are plenty of students waiting for a masterly and memorable teacher. To get more teachers from abroad of Bangladeshi origin, TFB had held a recruitment or information event in New York City on February 26, 2014 to encourage young to the apply for the program. Even it was a bitterly cold day, roomful of people attended the event – most of them are Bangladeshi young. Some came after their work or school, I assume, as it was a Tuesday after all. It was a well-planned, organized, on time and informative event. With multimedia presentation and QA session, Lamiya Jabbar, Recruitment Associate and Maimuna Ahmad, the founder and CEO of TFB explained the program to the attendees. The TFB fellowship is for 2 years, internships are for shorter time, selection process is very rigorous but rewarding. Selected fellows Ideal fellows are under 35 years of age, of Bangladeshi origin, willing to attend a six-week training program, will teach math, English and science to the students. More info at Teach For Bangladesh website.
It seems like really an exciting program. Bangladesh need more of these kinds of people, programs, and pine for educational excellence. Bangladesh can use this kind of excitment for all students, all teachers, all parents and all policy makers – now and always.
An education is always the ‘best’ when it is free and like a tree. Regular, ordinary, general education certainly need money but a great education is not! A great education is where students are infused with excitement, dream, pleasure of learning, thinking big and think critically and differently. That infusion in any educational system is simply priceless. Why compare to trees? Because a great education needs care in the beginning, time to grow and has widespread usefulness (…tree does all for free!).
Hope Teach For Bangladesh will be successful in providing excellent education to their students, giving life-changing experience to their fellows and inspire both to see big picture.