SCB helps Jaago take digital schools to remote areas

As soon as we entered the classroom, the first few rows of students were up. They had prepared a presentation for us on the plant cell. They had prepared a detailed diorama to aid the presentation. What followed was a nearly 5-minute-long reintroduction to the plant cell in impeccable English. One might be forgiven for thinking they were sitting in one of Dhaka's prestigious schools and not one inside a remote tea estate in Habiganj.

"One of our students who on the first day of school said he wants to be a rickshaw-puller when he grows up is now training to be a pilot in the United States. This is the change education can bring to a child's life" said Korvi Rakshand Dhrubo, Founder of JAAGO Foundation, as he stood on the courtyard of JAAGO Foundation's Habiganj School nestled inside a tea estate. 

This campus was established seven years ago and boasts a student body of around 300. The majority of students here are the underprivileged children of tea estate workers, who would have otherwise had a hard time accessing quality education.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Standard Chartered Bangladesh (SCB) and JAAGO Foundation (JAAGO) banded together to bring digital classroom solutions and flexible learning to the remote learning environment via a project to extend JAAGO's Digital School Program. The Digital School Program connects classrooms in remote and rural areas to teachers in Dhaka via video conferencing technology. 

As an initiative, the Digital School Program facilitates the dissemination of quality education to the nation's most remote districts and divisions. The project helps to equalise the pursuit of education and standardise the learning process and the materials used for thousands of children who belong to vulnerable communities. 

Since 2007, JAAGO Foundation has been operating schools for thousands of underprivileged children all over Bangladesh. Using the digital platform, JAAGO has been spreading quality education in rural parts of the country. Thousands of disadvantaged children are currently getting quality education free of cost.

After a decade of work in 2017, JAAGO was recognised by UNESCO as the Best Educational Organisation in the world for utilising ICT in education.

It is very difficult to find teachers who can provide quality education in remote areas like the school's location and that is why JAAGO adopted an online concept. 

Inside the classrooms, there are giant TV screens. These TV screens are used by teachers residing in Dhaka to deliver lessons. But the TVs are not one way. The teacher can also see the classroom and interact with the students. To help the remote teachers, there are teachers present in the classroom as well. 

The lectures are not pre-recorded, the teachers are connected live and interact with the class in real time like any teacher physically present would. 

"We provide education from playgroup to class 10 and when these kids go to other institutions, we take care of their funding and keep providing them mentorship," said Korvi.

The school follows the English version curriculum approved by National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB). The reason behind this is being skilled in English gives one an edge when seeking jobs not only abroad but also at home. 

"We consider English a skill just like knowing how to operate a Computer is a skill," explained Korvi.

The collaboration between Standard Chartered and the JAAGO Foundation was designed with the goal of making quality education more accessible for children across Bangladesh – especially during the unprecedented global pandemic. The project brings together: innovative digital solutions, a focus on active learning, flexible learning spaces, and the ability to use personal stationery in an effort to make the learning experience more enjoyable, effectual and dynamic for students across Bangladesh.

In 2021, SCB built two classrooms for JAAGO, which JAAGO estimates will be operational for 10-15 years. Not only that, SCB provided the roughly 4,500 students studying under the program with notebooks. 

The school also provides its students with one free meal every day. The menu is switched up to make sure that the students receive the necessary nutrition. 

"I really like studying here. The physical school remained closed for two years but our classes went on as regular," said Sabrin Sami who studies in class six in this school. "If I had another child, I would have admitted them here," added Sabrin's mother.

At present, the initiative has provided 4,192 students nationwide with remote learning support. In addition to this, students have received stationery supplies to ensure they have the resources they need to succeed and make the most of their education – across both online and offline mediums. The Bank has also helped to expand JAAGO's physical premises to ensure that students and teachers have the necessary facilities to learn and develop. 

"JAAGO's biggest success story is probably the student I taught 15 years ago who is now working as an intern at JAAGO. She might even join JAAGO full-time after her internship. This is our success story," said Korvi.

JAAGO started its journey with 17 students. 10 of them are now studying in different universities, and of them two are studying in the US. Five of them are doing internships at various institutions.

The project spans ten locations:  Rayer Bazar (Dhaka), Banani, (Dhaka), Chittagong, Rajshahi, Habiganj, Teknaf, Dinajpur, Madaripur, Rangpur and Gaibandha. All of the schools except the ones in Dhaka are digital schools. 

This is significant as current and future students in these locations will benefit via the implementation of this project. 

"SCB has been working for 12 years with JAAGO. SCB is always on the lookout for projects it can contribute to and make a positive impact on society. Every year, since 2011, we have been collaborating on one project or another. 

This year we have built classrooms and helped the digital classrooms with connectivity. One year we took the responsibility of 300 kids," said Bitopi Das Chowdhury, head of corporate affairs at Standard Chartered Bangladesh.

"What other organisations call CSR we call it sustainability initiative. Sustainability means whenever we do a project with a partner, we are involved with that project for a finite time. We notify all our partners about this policy before going into a partnership so that after we are no longer involved with the project, it can be sustainable," added Bitopi.

Teachers at the JAAGO Foundation have also reaped the benefits of this initiative. With new training programs and increased resources, the ability to teach with ease has been guaranteed – making it possible for teachers to do their jobs and serve their community without obstacles in their way. 

Prodip Koiri whose son studies in class five in JAAGO's Habiganj school said, "I feel proud that my son studies at a school like this. This is very different from other schools. The digital Bangladesh we dream of - this school goes a long way in making that dream a reality."