Dhaka, Tokyo sign grant deals to support primary education

Bangladesh and Japan have signed an exchange of notes and grant agreements on for the Fourth Primary Education Development Program (PEDP4) of 500 million Japanese yen, equivalent to about $5 million. 

Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, Economic Relations Division Secretary Fatima Yasmin, and Jica Bangladesh Chief Representative Hayakawa Yuho signed the deals on Thursday, representing their respective governments. 

PEDP is an outstanding national development strategic plan for primary education in Bangladesh, said the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka. 

Japan has been supporting PEDP in cooperation with other development partners since 2011, under the Sector Wide Approaches (SWAPs). 

Under PEDP3, a number of activities have been implemented. Refined textbooks have been distributed in primary schools and classrooms have been built. 

PEDP4 started in 2018, aiming to achieve three high-level outcomes pertaining to quality of education, improving academic achievement, establishing equitable access and participation, and enhancing management, governance and financing. 

Japan has been providing support with a focus on improving the quality of primary education for all. 

For more than a decade, various approaches composed of policy strengthening, development of textbooks and teaching materials, strengthening school management and improvement of teacher's training, as well as this financial support have been taken, the embassy said. 

Japan's approach with a focus on quality through technical cooperation and policy advisers, has been making a good synergy with SWAPs and financial support because those who have been working in the field can provide feedback to policy-decision making at the national level, it said.