Monitoring Education in Bangladesh

In 1998 the Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE) established “Education Watch” in Bangladesh. It is an independent, research-based monitoring mechanism to promote and assess progress in Education For All by:

• Conducting periodic independent review of the state of primary and basic education. Through research, surveys, and studies they annually publish a report on aspects of basic and primary education.
• Disseminating the findings of the research to all stakeholders at various levels. This enhances public awareness about education. It also promotes public participation in educational policy dialogue.
• Engaging in advocacy in support of quality Education for All in the country.

How CAMPE Works

CAMPE works through a yearly selection of an issue. They select a new theme related to primary and basic education for each year’s Education Watch research. What follows is an extensive participatory process. In this process they get comments and feedback from concerned individuals and agencies on the selected issue. The Working Group identifies the research questions, selects the indicators, and finalizes the instruments. They then form a Research Team by taking people from the Working Group and from outside the Working Group. This team carries out the fieldwork and writes the report. The Technical Team provides technical support to the Research Team.

Measurable Impacts of “Education Watch”

• Education Watch has established itself as an independent, alternative, and complementary system of monitoring Education For All.
• A large number of national experts, practitioners in education, and civil society representatives have actively participated in every step of Education Watch studies.
• Bangladesh initiated competency-based education at the primary level in 1992. However, Education Watch introduced competency-based assessment of learning achievements first.
• Education Watch established a benchmark for the literacy status of the population. Through an in-depth exploration across all Bangladesh. For the first time, a test-based literacy assessment with nation-wide samples was undertaken.
• Media provided good coverage of the findings. This helped in dissemination of findings and raising awareness for the people.
• The government had reservations on the existing scenario presented in the Education Watch report. Specifically on the status of primary education. However, the government has not rejected its validity. This is quite clear in the government initiatives as reflected in the PEDP II. PEDP II is the macro framework for primary education development. It has addressed many of the concerns raised in the Education Watch reports.
• From the donors side, it is more often than not referred to and treated as a reliable database. As such they are always interested in the latest updates.
• The Education Watch reports are used as a reliable database by researchers, educators, and other members of the civil society.
• CAMPE often used the Education Watch groups and other stakeholders to lobby the government for a gender sensitive approach in the policy framework. In this context, women leading at high levels has served useful in gaining access and an affirmative decision.