The Beyond Access Bangladesh project has been completed, with child-friendly reading corners set up at 20 community and public libraries across 11 districts in Bangladesh.
According to a press release, officials from the Department of Public Libraries, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and various other non-governmental and partner organisations gathered to celebrate the successful completion of the project at the Department of Public Libraries in Shahbagh, Dhaka, on Tuesday morning.
Bangladesh Minister of Cultural Affairs Asaduzzaman Noor attended the event as chief guest.
At the program, USAID Office of Population, Health, Nutrition, and Education Director Caroll Vazquez said: “By leveraging the resources of USAID, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IREX, and the Department of Public Libraries, along with the expertise of Save the Children, this project has created a model library that makes reading outside of school accessible and fun for children so that they can learn to read.”
Beyond Access Bangladesh selected 20 community and public libraries in 11 districts to make use of the country’s existing libraries as spaces for children and their families to enjoy reading and access more reading materials. The project provided reading materials for children at various levels, supplied multiple computer tablets with literacy-focused computer games, and trained library staff to use interactive reading games and other methods to help children learn to read.
The Beyond Access Bangladesh project is a component of USAID’s 5-year READ project, which works to improve the quality of literacy instruction in 2,949 Government Primary Schools throughout Bangladesh.
Thursday, April 25, 2024
