Bangladesh: Supporting primary education for street and working children

To give street children and working children the opportunity to get a formal primary education, HOPE’87 has initiated an education programme for unprivileged and working children in the two cities Dhaka and Chittagong in Bangladesh. The number of working children, who mostly don’t receive any education, is very high, with most of the children working in hazardous jobs in factories. Nevertheless the wages of the children contribute to the survival of their families. Therefore five Night Schools were set up in already existing school buildings, which offer classes from 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm at six days a week to those children who cannot attend regular classes during day time. The children are provided with free services such as school uniforms and school material and have the possibility to participate in sports competitions and educational field trips.

The night school approach offers children the opportunity to study, receive primary education and to break out of the vicious circle of poverty with considering their engagement in labour at the same time.