Success of Digital Island-Moheshkhali Project celebrated

JAAGO Foundation organized an event for celebrating the success of the Distance Learning Program under People’s Republic of Bangladesh’s Digital Island- Moheshkhali Project on Sunday, says a press release. 

To discuss the challenges and opportunities for the future, this event was held in the capital’s Platinum

Grand Hotel. Mr. Parthapratim Deb, Executive Director, Bangladesh Computer Council honored the event as the chief guest and Ms. Peppi Siddiq, Project Manager- IOM, was present as the special guest along with Mr. Zahid Md. Firoz, Project Director, Digital Island Moheshkhali, Mr. Masum Al Reza, National Program Coordinator, IOM Bangladesh.

Bangladesh has achieved Millennium Development Goal 2- Achieve Universal Access to Primary Education in 2015.

Yet, education remains one of the biggest challenges for the country. To take quality education to the remote areas of Bangladesh, the Digital Island- Moheshkhali Project was launched and recently completed 3 years. 

In April 2017, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the scheme titled "Digital Island Moheshkhali" that connected the Moheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar to Dhaka.

The ICT Ministry, Bangladesh Computer Council, Korea Telecom and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) jointly started implementing the “Digital Island-Moheshkhali” project at Moheshkhali lsland in Cox's Bazar district. 

JAAGO joined the project as an implementing partner in April 2017. Through distance learning program JAAGO provided English education to 10 Government Primary Schools, educating 9000 students and creating awareness of e-learning among 20000 community citizens.

The chief guest, Mr. Parthapratim Deb said, “In 2008 when Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina announced for Digital Bangladesh it was a very abstract concept. But now with all the efforts from the ICT ministry, IOM, Korea Telecom and JAAGO Foundation, we now have a digital island in Moheshkhali upazilla of Bangladesh. I would specially like to thank the teachers for this success. Also, through creating contents and conducting the live digital classes, JAAGO Foundation has showed us that how with such simplicity, technology can be used to provide quality English education”.

The special guest of the event, Peppi Siddiq, Project Manager-IOM conveyed her thoughts, “I do really think that this project has the strength to continue not just in Moheshkhali but in other parts of Bangladesh as well. I also think this project is very unique in Bangladesh and I don’t think that exists in other developing countries.

JAAGO Foundation’s Founder and Chairman Korvi Rakshand said, “When we first started the distance learning program there were many questions because the idea of teaching students using technology from Dhaka to outside was not very clear. But when we received the award from UNESCO, the Chinese and American Government tried to replicate the same model and implement in smaller forms. Through this small project we have been able to teach 9000 children, train 150 teachers and created awareness about distance learning among 20000 beneficiaries.”

All the head teachers from the 10 Government Primary Schools in Moheshkhali and the online teachers were also present at the event. The event was concluded with an award ceremony where Government teachers, online teachers and project managers were awarded for their great work.