Innovision Consulting, in collaboration with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), organized a national dissemination event on March 20, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel in Dhaka. The event shared the findings of the impact and sustainability assessment of the Educate the Most Disadvantaged Children (EMDC) programme, which aimed to support children aged 6-14 affected by the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EMDC programme, funded by FCDO and implemented by BRAC and UNICEF, has bridged education gaps for over 300,000 children. BRAC supported over 140,000 children through an adaptive version of the Bridge Program, which included four months of catch-up training and six months of accelerated education to facilitate re-entry into primary schools. UNICEF reached 175,000 children with a six-month catch-up program to help them transition back into formal education.
The findings of the impact assessment, conducted by Innovision Consulting, were presented by Dr. S. M. Hafizur Rahman, Professor at the Institute of Education Research (IER), University of Dhaka, and Mr. Md Taufiq us Samad, Senior Associate at Innovision Consulting Mr. Taufiq highlighted how the EMDC programme facilitated a smooth transition for students back into formal schooling, emphasizing the role of community participation, strategic placement of learning centers, and active engagement from government officials.
Mr. Golam Kibria, Education Adviser at FCDO, noted that the EMDC model could be incorporated into Bangladesh’s upcoming Primary Education Development Program (PEDP-5) to ensure long-term benefits. Mr. Devabrata Chakraborty, Director General of BNFE, praised the co-curricular activities in the EMDC programme and emphasized the importance of learning with joy. Mr. Atiqur Rahman, Additional Director General of PEDP, suggested organizing similar workshops within the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) to engage more government officials.
Ms. Naima Rashid from the European Union (EU) recommended analyzing the challenges children faced upon re-entering formal education to inform future program adjustments. Mr. John Ekaju, Education Manager at UNICEF, advocated for integrating the EMDC findings into PEDP-5 to contribute to long-term education strategies.
The event concluded with closing remarks from Mr. Anirban Ganguly, Research Specialist at FCDO, and a vote of thanks from Mr. Kazi Shahed Hasan Ferdous, Country Director of Innovision Bangladesh. The event was followed by an Iftar gathering.