2. SEQAEP 5 Years Success Story is a publicaƟon on the
four major components of the project and its thirteen
sub-components.
The project is one of the largest among eighty-one
projects of the Ministry of EducaƟon, Government of
Bangladesh and a substanƟally successful one also.
The project has received addiƟonal financing of USD
265 million in the year 2014 from the World Bank.
The report provides a summarized documentaƟon
for reference on the objecƟves of each components
and sub-components with its quanƟtaƟve staƟsƟcs
and qualitaƟve impacts over five-year period. It also
contains few case studies to highlight how the project
has brought posiƟve changes in the lives of the
beneficiaries.
This 24 minutes documentary film Dreams
Etched Across the Sky (in English and Bangla)
captures triumph of the two children, Lima
and Arif. Their father Mr. Md. Almas is a
Rickshaw-van Puller while their mother is a
homemaker. Due to poverty, the parents had
considered disconƟnuing the educaƟon of
their children. Secondary EducaƟon Quality
and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP)
assisted financially disadvantaged students
like Arif and Lima to conƟnue their studies
by supporƟng them with sƟpends and with
help of well-trained Resource Teachers (RTs)
to improve on English and MathemaƟcs. The
documentary captures other components of
the project and their impacts as well.
Mr. Nurul Islam Nahid, MP, Honourable
Minister of the Ministry of EducaƟon and
other key persons speak about the plans of
Government of Bangladesh on educaƟon
and effecƟveness of SEQAEP.
Bangla: hƩp://youtu.be/_w-JzTeNy5c
English: hƩp://youtu.be/4-iBlH9WdgY

3. Messages
Nurul Islam Nahid, MP
EducaƟon Minister, Ministry of EducaƟon
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had dreamt of Sonar Bangla (Golden Bangladesh) for which
we need educated, wise and skilled people. Grooming the young generaƟon and preparing them
with world standard educaƟon is the only way forward towards making his dream a reality.
The Ministry of EducaƟon is commiƩed to EducaƟon for All and the UN’s Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). Working inline to these goals, in the past half a decade, Bangladesh has witnessed a
revoluƟonary makeover in the educaƟon sector with 99.47% students iniƟally aƩending schools. In
terms of the UN’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG), we have already achieved gender equality
target in 2013 both in Secondary and Higher Secondary level. To encourage poor students, since
2010, the government of Bangladesh has been distribuƟng over 1231 million textbooks to students
of Pre-Primary through class ten on 1st of January, the first day of school year, without fail, even in
unstable poliƟcal situaƟons; a phenomenal event.
SƟll there are many challenges we need to overcome. Currently, the Ministry of EducaƟon is
execuƟng 81 projects of which SEQAEP is one the largest. This co-funded project where the World
Bank has contributed USD 265 million and government of Bangladesh USD 15 million covers 215
disadvantaged Upazilas. NaƟonally 57% and in rural area 70% disadvantaged students received
sƟpend through this project. Students in remote and rural higher secondary insƟtuƟons aƩended
free AddiƟonal Classes (ACs) in English and MathemaƟcs which were conducted by our specially
trained 0.5 million teachers.
I congratulate, the Project Director of SEQAEP, Mr. Md. Shahid BakhƟar Alam, and his team who
have been extremely effecƟve in implemenƟng this project. Our partner, the World Bank, ConƟnues
to support us for another three years Ɵll 2017 with funding of another USD 265 million. I thank
them for their shared commitment.
Nurul Islam Nahid, MP
EducaƟon Minister, Ministry of EducaƟon
1

4. Md. Nazrul Islam Khan
Secretary, Ministry of EducaƟon
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
The government of Bangladesh has made EducaƟon for All a priority and accordingly invested
heavily in this sector. AŌer rigorous scruƟny, we have been able to idenƟfy the reasons that caused
dismal results in Secondary School CerƟficate (SSC) level and disparity in educaƟon quality in rural
and metropolitan ciƟes. Moreover, we have learned that economically disadvantaged boys and girls
can do wonder when they are correctly idenƟfied and provided with support. We have noƟced the
paƩern that failing in English and MathemaƟcs was pulling down the pass rate and increasing need
for private tuiƟons, an addiƟonal burden for struggling parents.
With implementaƟon of the EducaƟon Policy the impact has been remarkable. One of the largest
projects which has focused on making these unprecedented changes is Secondary EducaƟon Quality
and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP). It covers a staggering 125 Upazilas and provided boys and
girls with sƟpend through Proxy Means TesƟng (PMT). The project managed its financial resources
extremely well and had zero disallowance. The World Bank, the donor for this project, has agreed to
double their investment and conƟnue the project for another three years.
We deeply appreciate our donor and partners for their conƟnuous support in enhancing the
quality of educaƟon of Bangladesh. We are confident that we will be able to create access to
quality educaƟon through this project. I congratulate the Project Director and his team in securing
funds for next three years to conƟnue the good work for the interest of our naƟon.
Md. Nazrul Islam Khan
Secretary, Ministry of EducaƟon
2

5. Prof. Fahima Khatun, Director General
Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon (DSHE)
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
It is a challenge for the government of many countries to publicize the importance of educaƟon or to
send children to the schools. At present the situaƟon in Bangladesh has been improving significantly
as both parents and students realize the importance of educaƟon in general. However, Bangladesh
has not achieved its target yet and there is sƟll a high rate of drop out in the schools. One of the
major reasons for drop out is the overall economic condiƟon of the society and the disparity among
boys and girls.
The Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) works with rural
communiƟes with a special focus on some major issues of our educaƟon: drop outs, low pass rates
and hard-to-reach areas like char and haor. The project has been working successfully to meet
some specific objecƟves: ensuring quality educaƟon, creaƟng equity to the access of educaƟon
and reducing disparity between urban and rural students. In order to meet the goals, a number
of programs have been undertaken by the project that are running successfully. SEQAEP has been
providing sƟpends to the poor children (both girls and boys), arranging trainings for the teachers
to conduct AddiƟonal Classes (ACs) on English and MathemaƟcs. Moreover, the project has been
offering incenƟves to the educaƟonal insƟtuƟons as well as to students and teachers. At present
when the students are gradually withdrawing themselves from reading different kinds of books,
SEQAEP has taken a nice iniƟaƟve to encourage the habits of the students to read books.
Currently, Ministry of EducaƟon has adopted the strategies to work with all the stakeholders in
a team spirit. Mr. Md. BakhƟarAlam, Project Director, SEQAEP has been leading his team in the
same spirit under the guidance of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon. I believe,
the intervenƟons taken by the project has allowed us to receive good responses from different
corner of the society. I hope the project will work more successfully with views to meet Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) and to achieve the Vision 2021.
Prof. Fahima Khatun, Director General
Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon (DSHE)
3

6. Arastoo Khan
Economic RelaƟons Division (ERD)
Ministry of Finance
Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh
EducaƟon is potenƟally the key that can eradicate of poverty from Bangladesh. There has been
projects leading up to Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) and it
has been a remarkable journey. Based on the project’s posiƟve outcomes of the first phase, we have
embarked on a new phase where we would conƟnue to find means to improve quality of educaƟon
to strike a balance between urban and rural students, poor and financially privileged students, boys
and girls, disabled and able students and all minoriƟes.
I am personally happy with the project because it has been incenƟvizing poor children as well as
tribal and special need students to come to school by the way of the sƟpend program. The World
Literature Centre with the project team developed school libraries and in real terms has been able
to encourage reading habits in children. The project gave addiƟonal inputs to various schools by the
way of improving school faciliƟes to providing trained Resource Teachers (RTs) on MathemaƟcs and
English language. In upcoming phase of the project team is planning to provide Resource Teachers
(RTs) for science subjects as well.
There is no end to improvement of quality and we should not be happy and content with what we
have achieved. I think we should go beyond our limit and go further in truly holding the naƟonal
proclamaƟon i.e. EducaƟon for All. We have a very dynamic Project Director, Mr. Md. BakhƟar Alam
and he is really making a difference. It’s evident from the work he is doing.
It has been my pleasure to have negoƟated addiƟonal financing of about USD 265 million with the
support of IDA, the World Bank. Now I hope that this project is going to bring further success and
improve the quality of educaƟon which is absolutely important for Bangladesh.
Arastoo Khan
AddiƟonal Secretary, ERD
Ministry of Finance
4

7. Johannes ZuƩ
Country Director, Bangladesh and Nepal, The World Bank
Giving a person an educaƟon is the single most transformaƟve giŌ that a benefactor can give. This
is important because educaƟon enables a person to get a beƩer job, to parƟcipate more fully in
social and poliƟcal life, and also to have higher self-esteem. It’s parƟcularly important for girls. This is
because many studies have repeatedly shown that girls and women spend money much wisely than
boys and men. The Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) is helping
poor girls and boys in 215 Upazilas in Bangladesh to access secondary educaƟon. The project is built
on the success of two predecessor projects, which were focused exclusively on bringing poor girls to
secondary educaƟon. This project as well as its predecessors has shown the world how transformaƟve
a program targeted on helping poor girls to access primary and secondary educaƟon can be. If it had
not happened in Bangladesh, starƟng back in the 1990s, it’s very unlikely that Bangladesh today would
be able to employ some four million women in the second largest ready-made garment (RMG) industry
in the world. It would be hard to imagine that the goods coming out of the ready-made garments
industry would be compeƟƟve with those coming out of countries like China, Vietnam and Sri Lanka.
The new project also has several innovaƟons. First, because the assistance provided to girls has been
so effecƟve, boys are now falling behind, and so the new project also provides tuiƟon and sƟpend
assistance to boys. Second, the new project makes a very strong push on enhancing quality. It provides
performance incenƟves to schools, teachers and student, and it is building a stronger monitoring and
evaluaƟon system which this year for the first Ɵme in Bangladesh’s history resulted in a systemaƟc
evaluaƟon of learning outcomes at the secondary level.
Support to the next phase of the Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project is
proof that the Government of Bangladesh understands how vitally important it is to conƟnue helping
young people to acquire an educaƟon. Bangladesh’s leadership in the development of the educaƟon
sector has set the stage for similar projects all over the world. Some imitators have become famous
in their own right, for example in Brazil. The World Bank is delighted to conƟnue its associaƟon with
this project of the Government of Bangladesh. I think the project management team is funcƟoning
well. The impact of the work that the team is doing is visible every single day. It’s very energizing to
be around young people who have an opportunity to improve their lives and who are taking hold of
that opportunity with both hands and making the most of it. The Secondary EducaƟon Quality and
Access Enhancement Project recently received addiƟonal financing of USD 265 million from the World
Bank. It’s the hope of the World Bank that every single child in this country, whether a girl or a boy,
will have access to a good-quality educaƟon at the primary, secondary and terƟary levels. Every single
child should be given the opportunity to realize his or her full potenƟal, while also contribuƟng to the
country’s economy and to its social and poliƟcal enrichment.
Johannes ZuƩ
Country Director, Bangladesh and Nepal, The World Bank
5

8. Md. Shahid BakhƟar Alam
Project Director, SEQAEP
In 2008, the Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) undertook its
journey to ensure the quality educaƟon for the secondary academic insƟtuƟons and beƩer access for
all. We have been working with almost 6,781 secondary schools of rural Bangladesh. The speciality
of this project is to provide sƟpends to poor boys and girls as well as special need and children of
minority communiƟes by idenƟfying the needy students through Proxy Means TesƟng (PMT). Every
year PMT Booths were opened in all the unions during July to August. The three member commiƩee
with Thana EducaƟon Officer, Member of Union Council and a secondary school teacher interviewed
the applicant(s) and verified the informaƟon provided to the CommiƩee. About 1 million students
received sƟpends of which 57% of beneficiaries were girls.
Through research it was idenƟfied that in other than metropolitan ciƟes, students from other parts
of Bangladesh were failing in Secondary School CerƟficate (SSC) examinaƟons due to poor results
in English and MathemaƟcs. With a few or no subject teachers, the schools with pass rate below
45% in Junior School CerƟficate (JSC) and Junior Dakhil CerƟficate (JDC) were struggling. The project
undertook merit based appointments of Resource Teachers (RTs) who were trained on effecƟve
teaching methods. The teachers arranged AddiƟonal Classes (ACs) in about 400 schools relieving
parents from burden of private tuiƟon. The pass rates of those schools now have increased to
almost 100% in Secondary School CerƟficate (SSC) examinaƟons. To retain the almost 1,000 trained
Resource Teachers (RTs) they were provided with handsome remuneraƟon. Students between
the classes 6 through 8 undergo Learning Assessments to test their understanding. To encourage
students, teachers and educaƟonal insƟtuƟon on achieving specific results incenƟve awards in terms
of cash were awarded. Moreover, students were encouraged to develop reading habit with support
of Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendra (BSK). From 2013, the project has been organizing EducaƟon Fair among
neighbouring schools where students and teachers are able to share and exchange knowledge.
SEQAEP also helped to form and train Parent Teacher AssociaƟons (PTAs) and School Management
CommiƩees (SMCs) in every school for social audiƟng of teachers, funding allocaƟon, reducing
drop-outs, discouraging child marriage and eve-teasing. To improve overall environment the project
provided funds for improving school faciliƟes like access to safe drinking water, hygienic latrines and
much more.
A lot has been accomplished with great effort of all concerned for the students, who are the future
of Bangladesh. I hope that with our work we are enabling them to be good and producƟve ciƟzens.
And, I would like to take the opportunity to thank our partner the World Bank and agencies of the
Government of Bangladesh for supporƟng us to do just that.
Md. Shahid BakhƟar Alam
Project Director, SEQAEP
6

9. Contents
Acronyms and AbbreviaƟon 08
1.0 Our Dynamic Team 10
1.1 Key Contributors to the Project 12
1.2 Partners and their ContribuƟons 17
2.0 Where Do We Work 19
2.1 SEQAEP at a Glimpse 21
3.0 How Did We Make a Success Story 25
3.1 InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Strengthening 28
3.1.1 Project Management 29
3.1.2 InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Building 29
3.1.3 School Management Accountability 31
(a) Case Study: Mrs. Asia Begum, Sanandabari High School, District: Jamalpur 32
3.1.4 EducaƟon Awareness and Community MobilizaƟon (EACM) 33
3.2 Improving EducaƟon Quality and Capacity to Monitoring Teaching-Learning Levels 36
3.2.1 Support for English Language and MathemaƟcs Learning and Teaching 37
(b) Case Study: Nazirpur Palli Jagoran High School, District: Netrokona 38
(c) Case Study: Ulaul Model High School, District: Manikganj 39
3.2.2 IncenƟve Awards to Students, Teachers and InsƟtutes 41
3.2.3 Developing Reading Habit (DRH) 44
(d) Case Study: Savar Girls High School, District: Dhaka 46
3.2.4 Assessment of EducaƟon Quality 47
3.3 Improving Equitable Access for the Poor and School Environment 49
3.3.1 PMT-based SƟpends and TuiƟon to Poor Students 50
(e) Case Study: Umme Salma Sarker; District: Gaibandha 51
3.3.2 Improving School FaciliƟes (ISF) 54
(f) Case Study: Sajuria Zahura Zerin High School, District: Rajbari 56
3.4 Monitoring & EvaluaƟon 58
3.4.1 Comparison of Project Performance RaƟngs 60
3.4.2 RecogniƟon by the World Bank (WB) 62
4.0 Challenges for the Future 64
5.0 Financial Accountability & Audit Report 66
6.0 Conclusion 71
Annex 1 73
Annex 2 76
Annex 3 77

10. Acronyms and Abbreviation
AC
ACT
ACF
AD
ADB
AF
APD
BANBEIS
BBS
BISE
BP
BSK
CAS
CCT
CONTASA
DA
DD
DEO
DG
DID
DLI
DO
DPHE
DPP
DRH
DSHE
EACM
EL
EMF
EMP
FAPAD
FMS
FMA
FSSAP
FY
GAAP
GO
GOB
HIES
HOI
HT
AddiƟonal Class
AddiƟonal Class Teacher
Award ConformaƟon Form
Assistant Director
Asian Development Bank
AddiƟonal Financing
AddiƟonal Project Director
Bangladesh Bureau of EducaƟon InformaƟon and StaƟsƟcs
Bangladesh Bureau of StaƟsƟcs
Board of Intermediate and Secondary EducaƟon
Bank Procedures
Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendro
Country Assistance Strategy
CondiƟonal Cash Transfer
ConverƟble Taka Special Account
Designated Account
Deputy Director
District EducaƟon Officer
Director General
Difference in Difference
Disbursement Linked Indicator
Development ObjecƟve
Department of Public Health and Engineering
Development Project Proforma
Developing Reading Habit
Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon
EducaƟon Awareness and Community MobilizaƟon
English Language
Environmental Management Framework
Environmental Management Plan
Foreign Aided Project Audit Disclosure
Financial Management Specialist
Financial Management Analyst
Female Secondary School Assistance Project
Financial Year
Governance and Accountability AcƟon Plan
Government Order
Government of Bangladesh
Household Income and Expenditure Survey
Human Opportunity Index
Head Teachers
8

11. ICT
IDA
IE
IFC
IFR
IPF
KPI
LASI
LGED
MEW
M&E
MIS
MoE
MoF
MoPA
MoU
MPO
MTR
NPV
OP
OARF
PAD
P-RAMS
PD
PDO
PMT
PMTA
PPR
PPT
PTA
RCT
RDD
RDPP
RT
SESDP
SEQAEP
SMC
SMF
SSC
SWAp
TDP
TA
USEO
InformaƟon CommunicaƟons Technology
InternaƟonal Development AssociaƟon
Impact EvaluaƟon
InternaƟonal Finance CorporaƟon
Interim Financial Report
Investment Project Financing
Key Performance Indicator
Learning Assessment in SEQAEP InsƟtuƟons
Local Government Engineering Department
Monitoring and EvaluaƟon Wing
Monitoring and EvaluaƟon
Management InformaƟon System
Ministry of EducaƟon
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Public AdministraƟon
Memorandum of Understanding
Monthly Pay Order
Mid-Term Review
Net Present Value
OperaƟonal Policies
OperaƟonal Risk Assessment Framework
Project Appraisal Document
Procurement Risk Assessment Management System
Project Director
Project Development ObjecƟve
Proxy Means TesƟng
Proxy Means TesƟng Administrator
Public Procurement Rules
Project PreparaƟon Team
Parent-Teacher AssociaƟon
Randomized Control Trial Design
Regression DisconƟnuity Design
Revised Development Project Performa
Resource Teacher
Secondary EducaƟon Sector Development Project
Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project
School Management CommiƩee
Social Management Framework
Secondary School CerƟficate
Sector Wide Approach
Tribal Development Plan
Technical Assistance
Upazila Secondary EducaƟon Officer
9

12. 1.0 Our Dynamic Team
Prim Rizvi
Assistant Director (Admin)
Dr. Md. Asaduzzaman Khan Mojlish
Assistant Director (ACT)
Md. Mokhtar Ahmed
Deputy Project Director (Admin)
Dr. Rafique Al-Mamun
Deputy Project Director (ACT)
Md. Shahid Bakhtiar Alam
Project Director, SEQAEP

13. Dr. Sujan Kumer Sarker
Deputy Project Director (Quality)
Dr. Mohd. Mozammel Hossain Chowdhury
Deputy Project Director (Access)
Reaz Ahmed
Assistant Director (Quality)
S. M. Morshed Bipul
Assistant Director (Access)

14. 1.1 Key Contributors to the Project
Md. Shahid BakhƟar Alam
Mr. Md. Shahid BakhƟar Alam is a Joint Secretary and member of Bangladesh
Civil Service (AdministraƟve Cadre). Since April 2012 he has been working as the
Project Director (PD) of Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement
Project (SEQAEP). His responsibility is to provide technical and project
management leadership to the team consisƟng of about 200 staff and a number
of consultants. Scope of his work includes policy level decision making, overseeing
financial management, resource mobilizaƟon, monitoring day-to-day operaƟon,
procurement and sƟpends program. He is the focal point for maintaining
coordinaƟon with the Ministries and all the stakeholders of the SEQAEP, ensuring
proper documentaƟon of all the SEQAEP acƟviƟes and regular reporƟng to the
InternaƟonal Development AssociaƟon (IDA), Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon (DSHE),
Ministry of EducaƟon.
Prior to joining this post, Mr. Alam served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Counselor at Bangladesh
Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE. While working in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Director in desks like
United NaƟons, Finance, Consular and Welfare his responsibiliƟes included communicaƟons with
UN organizaƟons; liaison with the Bangladesh Missions abroad as well as Foreign Mission in Dhaka;
coordinaƟon between different Ministries of Bangladesh and state protocol.
Mr. Alam completed his Masters from the Dhaka University and his second Masters from the presƟgious
Columbia University in New York, USA.
Prof. Abdullah Abu Sayeed
Professor Abdullah Abu Sayeed is a Teacher, television presenter, organizer, acƟvist
and Chairman of Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendro (BSK). AŌer receiving his M.A in Bangla
Language and Literature from Dhaka University in 1961, Prof. Sayeed started
his career as a teacher that lasted over thirty years (1961-92) and brought him
spectacular success and naƟon-wide recogniƟon.
All the facets of his personality have been combined in his role as founder of
Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendro with the goal to create an informed, enriched and
commiƩed new generaƟon for Bangladesh. Since its incepƟon in 1978, the BSK,
a naƟon-wide educaƟonal and cultural organizaƟon, is operaƟng various non-conven
Ɵonal and informal enrichment programs in its own premises as well as at
several thousand educaƟonal insƟtuƟons to create an environment for the sensiƟve, eager and young
students to develop into enlightened individuals.
BSK has been implemenƟng the SEQAEP’s Developing Reading Habit (DRH) Program. Prof Sayeed is the
Team Leader of DRH program since 2010. Under his leadership and direcƟon to date 2.5 million readers
are benefited from the DRH program.
As a disƟnguished writer he has over 40 highly acclaimed books of poetry, essays, short stories, drama,
translaƟons, autobiographical wriƟngs, travelogue, etc. Prof. Sayeed is a well-known environmental
acƟvist with great success; he took acƟve part in movements against air polluƟon, water polluƟon of
rivers, and illegal acquisiƟon of lakes, parks and water.
For his contribuƟons Prof. Sayeed was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award, 2004 which is known as
the Asian ‘Nobel Prize’ in the field of Journalism, Literature and CreaƟve CommunicaƟon Arts. He also
received numerous awards which include NaƟonal Television Award, Ekushey Padak, Paribesh Padak,
and Bangla Academy Award.
12

15. Dr. Md. Fazlul Karim Chowdhury
Senior Consultant, Monitoring and EvaluaƟon
Dr. Md. Fazlul Karim Chowdhury has disƟnguished experience of working
as professor, educaƟon administrator, researcher, educaƟon planner and
management consultant. He worked in the Ministry of EducaƟon (MoE) in the
advisory capacity and provided financial advice to the EducaƟon Secretary and
the EducaƟon Minister. He analyzed primary, post-primary and non-formal and
primary data, supervised the works of NGOs engaged in non-formal and primary
educaƟon, and contributed to quality improvement in the preparaƟon of policy
documents and assessing various projects.
He also served as ‘Chief of Planning’ of the MoE and prepared, implemented,
monitored and evaluated about 83 Projects of the educaƟon sector and coordinated all the sub-sector
planning. As a member, NaƟonal Curriculum & Text Board (NCTB) he developed naƟonwide
life orientaƟon need based curriculum and introduced topics such as livestock, farming and poultry at
primary and secondary level for the benefit of the children. As Project Director of Female Secondary
and School Assistant Project (FSSAP), he introduced skill development programme for drop-out girls
and skill training in sustainable trades with the help of the selected NGOs, built public awareness about
educaƟon and mobilized community support for girls students, As Director General (DG) of Directorate
of Primary EducaƟon (DPE) he was responsible for the overall management and administraƟon of DPE.
He worked as Co-Team Leader of ESTEEM (EffecƟve schools through Enhanced EducaƟon Management),
a DFID funded project.
In addiƟon, he also worked in many projects financed by WB, ADB, UNICEFF, UNDP, UNFPA, CIDA
and UNESCO. He worked on a number of books on Economics for honours and post-graduate level
students.
13
Prof. Selina Akhtar Jahan, PhD
NaƟonal Consultant for English Language
Professor Selina Akhtar Jahan had more than 35 years of varied teaching and
consulƟng experience at Bangladesh Open University (BOU), NaƟonal Academy
for EducaƟonal Management (NAEM), Teachers’ Training College(TTC); B. Ed
English Medium College; Bangladesh InsƟtute of AdministraƟon and Management
(BIAM); Bangladesh Madrasha Teachers’ Training InsƟtute (BMTTI); University of
Liberal Arts; The Peoples’ University of Bangladesh; University of Science and
Technology; Asian University of Bangladesh; Eastern University; BriƟsh Council;
Bangladesh Civil Service College; UNICEF; BriƟsh American Language InsƟtute,
BPATC; Academy for Planning and Development (APD); Bangladesh Bank Training
Academy (BBTA); Trust Bank Limited; AB Bank; MercanƟle Bank; Dhaka Bank;
Janata Bank; Rupali Bank and NaƟonal Bank Training InsƟtute.
Professor Selina Akhtar Jahan, PhD served SEQAEP as NaƟonal Consultant for English and Senior
Consultant and AddiƟonal Class Specialist. During her involvement with SEQAEP she designed
supplementary materials to support the AddiƟonal Classes; trained the Resource Teachers (RTs) to
conduct and observe the AddiƟonal Classes, monitoring the AddiƟonal Classes, introduced Cluster
Monitoring involving the Head Teachers (HTs), RTs, and the Subject Teachers (STs) to find ways for beƩer
implementaƟon of the AddiƟonal Classes, developed Training Manuals for the Training of Trainers
(ToT).
Professor Selina Akhtar Jahan holds a PhD in English Literature from the Dhaka University.

16. Dr. Md. Abdul Halim
NaƟonal Consultant for MathemaƟcs
Dr. Md. Abdul Halim is a faculty member at the InsƟtute of EducaƟon and Research
(IER) of the University of Dhaka. He has obtained his Masters in Applied Math and
Master of EducaƟon from the University of Dhaka and PhD in Math EducaƟon
from the M.S. University of Baroda, India under ICCR scholarship. He was trained
on “Professionalizing In-service Teacher Training toward Improving the Quality
of Secondary EducaƟon in Bangladesh” from the Philippines in 2009. He also
successfully completed the “Country Focused Training and Dialogue program
on ImplementaƟon and EvaluaƟon of the Primary Curriculum in Science and
MathemaƟcs” from Japan in May 2014. He has worked as an educaƟonal consultant
and resource person in naƟonal and internaƟonal organizaƟon like NaƟonal Curriculum and Textbook
Board (NCTB), Planning Ministry, DPE, NAEM, NAPE, Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank,
UNICEF, Plan InternaƟonal Bangladesh, Oxfam Bangladesh etc. He developed and evaluated remarkable
numbers textbooks, teacher ediƟon, teacher guide, module and training manual. He published lot of
research arƟcles on educaƟon and MathemaƟcs educaƟon in renowned naƟonal and internaƟonal
journals.
He was NaƟonal Consultant and AddiƟonal Class Technical Specialist of Secondary EducaƟon Quality
and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP). He led the team responsible for designing and developing
supplementary materials of MathemaƟcs at Secondary level and trained Mobile Teachers Resource
Team (MTRT) and Resource Teachers (RT) to enhance the teaching – learning strategies on mathemaƟcs
in Bangladesh. He worked as a Resource Person of Teaching Quality Improvement (TQI-I & II) Project. He
developed and edited Teaching mathemaƟcs for teacher training manual for Trainers and trainees and
Trainer of the Master Trainer for disseminaƟon of CPD training for the teachers of Secondary School of
Bangladesh. He was also involved with FSSAP-II and SESDP acƟviƟes.
Md. Abul Quasem
Financial Management Specialist (FMS)
Md. Abul Quasem has more than 30 years of experience in accounƟng, audiƟng,
taxaƟon, management accounƟng, consultancy services and office administraƟon.
He is the sole Proprietor/ Principal of Quasem Abul & Co., Chartered Accountants.
Before joining SEQAEP, he worked in World Bank funded project Ɵtled Enterprise
Growth and Bank ModernizaƟon Project (EGBMP) in the Ministry of Finance.
He also worked in various organizaƟons and various posiƟons like: Chartered
Accountants Partner at G.Kibria & Co.; Accounts Management Specialist at The
InternaƟonal SecuriƟes Consultancy, Hong Kong and the Aries Group Ltd., USA, for
the Capacity Building of SecuriƟes and Exchange Commission and Stock Exchanges
of Bangladesh- a project of Asian Development Bank (ADB); NaƟonal Consultant for Finance and
CosƟng at Jute Sector Training Program (TPRM Project)- a Project of World Bank (WB) and Ministry of
Jute; Government PrivaƟzaƟon Program, PrivaƟzaƟon Board; Comilla Proshika Center for Development
-a CIDA Funded Project; Project Director, Research and EvaluaƟon of Voluntary SterilizaƟon and IUD
Program of Bangladesh Government and NGOs; Helen Keller InternaƟonal, Dhaka in the Xerophthalmia
Prevalence Survey in Bangladesh to achieve common goal “PrevenƟon of NutriƟonal Blindness”; Family
Planning AssociaƟon of Bangladesh.
He is a Fellow Member of the InsƟtute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh (FCA). He has also
achieved Level 3 (three) of CerƟfied General Accountants AssociaƟon of Ontario, Canada.
14

17. Dr. Md. Luƞur Rahman
Consultant Mid-term Review
Dr. Md. Luƞur Rahman has more than 40 years of professional experience in the
field of teaching, administraƟve and financial management, project design, project
management and implementaƟon, project monitoring and evaluaƟon.
He was a Professor of Chemistry and the Principal of Government Shariatpur
College. In addiƟon, he worked in the Ministry of Science and Technology as
an Assistant ScienƟfic Adviser, Director of Bangladesh NaƟonal ScienƟfic and
Technical DocumentaƟon Centre (BANSDOC) and as the Project Director of the
IDA- financed Female Secondary School Assistance Project (FSSAP) and FSSAP-II.
AŌer reƟrement from Government service, he has been working as an EducaƟon
Consultant in various projects financed by the Government of Bangladesh, the World Bank, ADB, DFID.
He also worked as an InternaƟonal Consultant in an EducaƟon Project financed by ADB in Indonesia. Dr.
Rahman worked as an EducaƟon Consultant with the World Bank.
Researcher
Wali ul Islam
Quality Assurance Consultant
Mr. Wali ul Islam has more than 28 years of varied working experiences as a
member of Bangladesh Civil Service. He worked in different ministries such as
Ministry of Local Government. Rural Development & CooperaƟves, Ministry of
Establishment, Ministry of Planning, Ministry of Labour and Employment. Wali ul
Islam has extensive knowledge in diversified areas in educaƟon system and policy,
development, administraƟon, judicial, revenue, project & program implementaƟon,
planning and reporƟng. He worked in GoB- DANIDA funded Hygiene PromoƟon,
SanitaƟon and Safe Water Supply Project (HYSAWA) for more than four and a half
years.
Since February 2013, Mr. Wali ul Islam has been serving as Quality Assurance Consultant to Secondary
School Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP). He is responsible for ensuring quality of the
services to be delivered and insƟtuƟons established. Before joining SEQAEP, Mr. Islam was the Director
of Bangladesh Public AdministraƟon Training Centre, Savar, Dhaka. Mr. Islam completed his Masters in
Economics from the University of ChiƩagong.
15
Prof. Saleh MoƟn
Professor Saleh MoƟn, one of the leading MathemaƟcians and eminent educaƟonist
in the country, had pioneered competency based curriculum at primary level in
Bangladesh. Prof. MaƟn was Director General of Directorate of Primary EducaƟon.
During his service in the directorate, he introduced innovaƟve acƟviƟes at grassroots
level to bring quanƟtaƟve and qualitaƟve development in primary educaƟon. He
served in renowned educaƟonal insƟtuƟons like B.M College, Barisal; A.M College,
Mymensingh; M.C College, Sylhet; Jagannath College, Dhaka; Dhaka College,
Dhaka; and A.H College, Bogra. He also had overseen the training of principals and
vice-principals of colleges to build up their capaciƟes in educaƟon and curriculum
management through establishment of training insƟtutes under Higher Secondary
EducaƟon Project in the capacity of program director.
Prof. MaƟn is a member of the research team at Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement
Project (SEQAEP), exploring the possibiliƟes to enhance the quality of secondary educaƟon of the
students of remote and disadvantaged areas of the country. In the context, he conducted a study on
“EffecƟveness of AddiƟonal Class for English and MathemaƟcs” undertaken in the project schools.

18. Prof. Dr. ASM Amanullah
Researcher
Currently Dr. A.S.M. Amanullah is a Professor in the Department of Sociology at the
University of Dhaka. Dr. Aman also taught at the University of New South Wales
(The UNSW), Sydney, Australia and Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
(SUST), Sylhet, Bangladesh. Furthermore, he was Staff Sociologist in the Research
and EvaluaƟon Division (RED) of BRAC, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
With his long and diverse experience in teaching, research and consultancy in the
field of EducaƟon and Public Health, Dr. Amanullah has worked not only as an
academic researcher but also was involved in various research projects funded by
different naƟonal and internaƟonal organizaƟons. So far, Dr. Amanullah worked
in more than 50 research projects as Principal InvesƟgator (PI)/Co-PI/Consultant. Dr. Amanullah is the
founder Advisor and Program Director of Master of Public Health (MPH) department at ASA University,
Bangladesh. Besides, he is a visiƟng fellow at the North South University (NSU) and Independent
University of Bangladesh (IUB). He is also leading a joint collaboraƟve project on “Breast Cancer
Awareness among Bangladeshi Women” iniƟated by Sydney University and the University of Dhaka.
Besides, he is currently working with IOM as regional consultant. Professor Amanullah published many
scholarly arƟcles/book chapters in peer-reviewed internaƟonal journals such as InternaƟonal Quarterly
of Community Health EducaƟon, University of MassachuseƩs, MA, USA. As an internaƟonal health and
educaƟon expert, Professor Amanullah also works with many internaƟonal journals as their editorial/
advisory board member.
He did his Masters in Sociology from the University of Dhaka, and obtained Ph.D. in Social Science from
the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
16

19. 17
1.2 Partners and their Contributions
From 1993 to 2001, with IDA’s support the Government of Bangladesh iniƟated
the first Female Secondary School Assistance Project (FSSAP). The project was
implemented in 119 Upazilas. FSSAP is the predecessor of the Secondary EducaƟon
Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP). Here again InternaƟonal
Development AssociaƟon (IDA) plays a vital role as a development partner financing
the project in 125 Upazilas under 61 districts of the country. As per the provision of
RDPP 16% of the total found was spent from the Government of Bangladesh and rest
84% was funded by IDA.
www.worldbank.org/ida
InternaƟonal Development AssociaƟon (IDA)
Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendro (BSK) is implemenƟng Developing
Reading Habit (DRH) Program of the Secondary EducaƟon
Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) to
introduce the similar program as a NaƟonwide Enrichment
Program in 7,230 schools of 125 Upazilas covering about
750,000 students.
www.bskbd.org
Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendro (BSK)
Established in 1980, PIACT Bangladesh is a non-profit, non-governmental organizaƟon.
PIACT carried out acƟviƟes related to community mobilizaƟon through training,
workshop and orientaƟon sessions for local stakeholders; and educaƟon awareness
through development and communicaƟon about the project; development and
distribuƟon of informaƟon materials.
www.piactbangladesh.org
PIACT Bangladesh
Agrani Bank is responsible for disbursing money for Secondary EducaƟon Quality and
Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP) for the following (sub) components:
· Disbursement of IncenƟve Awards to students, teachers and insƟtuƟons;
· AddiƟonal Classes (ACs) program: Honorarium for Resource Teachers (RTs),
Subject Teachers (ST)
· Head Teachers (HT) and insƟtuƟons;
· SƟpend and tuiƟon disbursement;
· Disbursement of Improving School FaciliƟes (ISF) funds;
· Disbursement fund for EducaƟon Awareness and Community MobilizaƟon (EACM);
· Disbursement of both ICT and social audit grants.
www.agranibank.org
Agrani Bank
MIDAS is the strategic partner of Government of Bangladesh. The scope of work with
SEQAEP includes assisƟng in capacity building and disseminaƟon of project acƟviƟes.
Overall, MIDAS works with SEQAEP in achieving UN’s MDG goal of educaƟon for all,
especially at the secondary school level.
www.midas.org.bd
MIDAS

20. Department of Public Health & Engineering (DPHE)
Government Agencies:
The Department of Public Health & Engineering (DPHE) installed shallow and deep tube
wells and constructed of twin latrines in the educaƟonal insƟtuƟons in partnership with
SEQAEP. Every year, the level of arsenic in water of these tube wells and the water purity
are tested by DPHE.
DPHE
www.dphe.gov.bd
The Bangladesh Bureau of EducaƟonal InformaƟon and StaƟsƟcs (BANBEIS) is
the central depository of Bangladesh government under Ministry of EducaƟon
for the collecƟng and disseminaƟng of educaƟonal informaƟon including that of
SEQAEP. BANBEIS has been idenƟfied to partner with SEQAEP and Monitoring and
EvaluaƟon Wing (MEW) to serve the project as the MIS cell. It is responsible for
data processing and Award ConformaƟon Form (ACF) preparaƟon for all school
grants schemes, including tuiƟon support.
SEQAEP provides sƟpends and tuiƟon to the poor boys and girls. SelecƟon of beneficiaries
is done through a household-based targeƟng method, Proxy Means TesƟng (PMT)
that generates a welfare score for applicant based on a set of observable household
characterisƟcs. The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) is entrusted
with administering PMT for selecƟon of beneficiary students. Proxy Means TesƟng
Administrator (PMTA) was responsible for (a) selecƟon of PMT sƟpend beneficiaries,
(b) Award ConformaƟon Form (ACF) preparaƟon for PMT sƟpend beneficiaries, and (c)
maintenance of integrated database. The services of LGED as PMT Administrator will
conƟnue through the project lifeƟme.
www.lged.gov.bd
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED)
www.banbeis.gov.bd
Bangladesh Bureau of EducaƟonal InformaƟon and StaƟsƟcs (BANBEIS)
BANBEIS
LGED
18

21. 2.0 Where Do We Work

22. 2.0 Where We Work
Geographical DistribuƟon of SEQAEP / EACM Program
20

23. The ongoing SEQAEP is being implemented in 125 Upazilas under 61 Districts of Bangladesh. The number
of total targeted educaƟonal insƟtuƟons are 6715 Secondary Schools and Madrashas throughout the
country following pre-determined criteria included in the Revised Development Project Proforma
(RDPP). According to the 2nd revised Development Project Proforma (DPP) the AddiƟonal Financing (AF)
Project will undertake new 90 Upazilas to implement project acƟviƟes. More than 5000 insƟtuƟons
of the extended areas will be brought under this program. The significance of SEQAEP program is
that it covers the remotest and poorest areas of the country. Moreover, the AF Project will conƟnue
InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Awards in SEQAEP and will introduce it non-SEQAEP Upazilas as well.
2.1 SEQAEP at a Glimpse
1.0 Table: Project Profile
Project Profile of SEQAEP
1. Name of the project Secondary EducaƟon Quality and Access Enhancement Project (SEQAEP)
2. ObjecƟve The overall objecƟve of the Project is to improve quality of educaƟon,
systemaƟcally monitor learning outcomes, and to increase equitable access.
3. Specific objecƟves a. To improve the quality of educaƟon parƟcularly, the teaching-learning process;
b. To ensure equitable access to educaƟon by providing sƟpends and incenƟves to
the poor students;
c. To reduce drop outs rate at the secondary level;
d. To strengthen the capacity of school management, monitoring and assessing
teaching-learning outcomes;
e. To aƩract new and retain exisƟng students through improving school faciliƟes;
and
f. To improve and strengthen the monitoring and evaluaƟon capacity of DSHE’s.
4. LocaƟon covering
area of the Project
Original Project: 125 selected Upazilas under 61 Districts.
Revised Project: ExisƟng 125 plus 90 new Upazils.
5. ImplementaƟon
Period
Original: July 2008- June 2014
Revised: July 2008- December 2017
6. Cost of the project Original: BDT 118176.30 lacs (US$ 155.70 million) [BDT 75.9 = USD 1]
1st Revised: BDT 122195.65 lacs (US$ 155.70 million)
2NDRevised: BDT 328866.76 lacs (US$ 420.70 million)
7. Mode of Finance Original: GOB: BDT 19037.28 lacs (16%) and PA: BDT 99139.02 lacs (84%)
1st revised: GoB: BDT 19037.28 lacs (16%) and PA: BDT 103158.37 lacs (84%)
2nd revised GoB: BDT 70179.54 lacs (21%) and PA: BDT 258687.22 lacs (79%)
8. Components and
Sub-components
4 main components and 13 sub-components
9. Name of 4 main
components
1. Improving EducaƟon Quality and to Monitor Teaching- Learning Levels;
2. Improving Equitable Access;
3. InsƟtuƟonal Capacity strengthening;
4. Monitoring & EvaluaƟon.
10. Main AcƟviƟes • Providing Best Student Awards (Grade 7-10);
• Providing PMT SSC Pass Awards;
• InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Awards;
• Support for AddiƟonal Classes in English Language and MathemaƟcs;
• Resource Teachers Recruitment;
• 6 Day Basic Training for Resource Teachers (RTs);
21

24. • Resource Teachers’ Refreshers Training;
• Providing Training to Subject Teachers;
• IntroducƟon of Reading Habit Development;
• Training for Library In-charge/Coordinator;
• Enrolment of Book Readers;
• Book DistribuƟon Award Ceremonies;
• Supply of Appropriate Books;
• CreaƟon of English Readers;
• CreaƟon of Maths Book Readers;
• Assessment of EducaƟon Quality;
• Providing PMT Based SƟpend and TuiƟon;
• Providing TuiƟon only Benefit;
• Providing General SƟpend and TuiƟon;
• Safe Drinking Water Supply provision;
• Water Quality TesƟng and monitoring;
• Establishment of SanitaƟon FaciliƟes in Schools;
• InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Strengthening;
• Project Management;
• InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Building;
• Overseas Training/Study Tour;
• Local Training/Workshop;
• Ensuring School Management Accountability;
• FormaƟon of PTA;
• SMC/ MMC/PTA Training;
• ConducƟng Social Audit;
• IntroducƟon of School InformaƟon Report Card;
• CreaƟon of EducaƟon Awareness and Community MobilizaƟon;
• Monitoring and EvaluaƟon;
11. Overall
Achievement
• The physical progress achieved in first 4 years surpassed the project end targets;
• The disbursements and financial progress have reached almost 100%;
• The targets for students appearing in the SSC exam and the secondary school
compleƟon rate surpassed. Around 210,000 poor students appeared in the SSC
exam;
• The project benefited more than 1.8 million students through sƟpend and tuiƟon
scheme;
• Around 1.0 million poor students received sƟpend to conƟnue secondary
educaƟon;
• About 3.8 million schooling years were benefited from the targeted sƟpend and
tuiƟon;
• Girls contributed 57% to achieve this milestone ;
• So far, 146,000 poor students received SSC pass awards, exceeding the project
target of 84,000;
• Nearly 5 thousands insƟtutes received insƟtuƟonal awards against the target of
3566;
• The project emphasizes improvement of secondary educaƟon quality through a
series of academic support intervenƟons and incenƟves;
• Almost 562,000 students were brought under “developing reading habit program”
22

25. 12. Impact of the
Project
• Grade 10 compleƟon rate up to December 2013 was 71.75%, compared to 31% at the
end of the project;
• SSC appearing students were 310,000 at project end target and actual achievement up
to December 2013 was 284,000, whereas 70% was poor students;
• The project end target of PMT SSC pass rate was 82%. But the rate of achievement was
80.52% in December 2013;
• The gender parity (Male/Female) in enrolment in grades 6 to 10 was 0.87 at the end
of the project. But the rate of actual achievement was calculated as 0.85% in December
2013;
• Finally, the percentage of poor children enrolled in secondary school was 39% at the
end of the project, while the achievement was 47.18% in December 2013.
13. Financial
Achievement
• Up to June 2013 the cumulaƟve financial progress was 85%;
• Total expenditure of the project up to June 2013 was about BDT 114881.90 lacs, while
the total esƟmated cost was BDT 122195.65 lacs;
• The percentage of progress compared to total esƟmate was 94.83%;
• The percentage of progress for the fiscal year 2012-13 was 99.83% compared to
expenditure with target for the said period.
14. Physical
Achievement
Progress up to December 2013 compared to target:
• 166,714 (84% of target) students received Best Student Awards (Grade 7-10);
• 219,014(103% of target) students received PMT SSC Pass Awards;
• 4640 (107% of target) insƟtutes received InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Awards;
• 521,410 (87%) AddiƟonal Classes conducted on English Language and MathemaƟcs;
• 1168 (146.5%) Resource Teachers Recruited;
• 1168 Resource Teachers received 6 Day Basic Training;
• 1002 RTs received refreshers training;
• 561 (73%) Subject Teachers received Training;
• IntroducƟon of Reading Habit Development in 6669 (98%) insƟtutes;
• Training provided to 6669 (98%) Library In-charge or Coordinator;
• 17, 32,956 (117%) Book Readers enrolled;
• 696,602 (47%) Award Books distributed;
• 11,70,8333 (97% of target) Appropriate Books supplied;
• Two rounds of Assessment of EducaƟon Quality completed;
• 41,39,463 students received PMT Based SƟpend and TuiƟon;
• 354,372 students received tuiƟon only benefit;
• 1.35 million students year provided General SƟpend and TuiƟon;
• 1879 safe drinking water supply opƟons installed;
• 655 Arsenic Test Kits supplied;
• 1826 Twin Latrines and sanitaƟon faciliƟes established;
• 696 Water Pump and 696 Water Tank installed;
• About 36 Officials received Overseas training and parƟcipated in study tours;
• PTA’s formed in 6781 insƟtuƟons;
• 67810 PTA members received training;
• CreaƟon of EducaƟon Awareness and Community; MobilizaƟon were undertaken
through consulƟng firm;
• 9 Semi-Annual monitoring reports submiƩed.
23

26. 15. AddiƟonal Financing
(AF) Project Target
• The AF Project has extended the current SEQAEP up to December 2017;
• The financing of AF project would be US$ 265 million, represenƟng an increase
of about 80% compared to original project funding;
• The main four components remained unchanged;
• The AF Project would iniƟate replicaƟon of successful acƟviƟes in 90 new
addiƟonal Upazilas;
• The direct beneficiaries of SEQAEP AF would be 11500 insƟtuƟons of 215
Upazilas which provide educaƟon to more than 4.5 million student annually;
• The Project would benefit teachers, SMC’s and PTA’s in project insƟtuƟons
directly;
• The AF Project would establish an effecƟve monitoring and evaluaƟon system
in partnership with BANBEIS;
• The IDA credit funding modality would be TransacƟon Based and Result Based
for US$ 200.00 and 50.00 million respecƟvely. The result based disbursement
will be financed through Disbursement Linked Indicators;
• The incenƟve rates in different grades have been enhanced from BDT 500.00
to 1000.00 and the InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Awards scheme would be
replicated in all Upazilas of the country;
• The AF Project would enhance the tuiƟon rates and it will be provided directly
to eligible educaƟonal insƟtutes;
• The AF Project will contribute to raise massive awareness and enhance the
transparency and accountability to bring back the drop outs. Accordingly the
provision for holding Upazila EducaƟon Fair has been created in the revised DPP;
• Based on the reality the AF Project would finance for science subject teachers
in addiƟon to English and MathemaƟcs;
• The transfer of MEW manpower to revenue budget has to be completed
during the AF project;
• The AF Project will finance TA support to develop teaching-learning materials
and training modules, to provide training of ACTs, for supervision and on-site
support; etc.
• ACT insƟtuƟons will gradually be increased up to 2000 by 2017;
• ACTs will be deployed in a few non-SEQAEP insƟtuƟons to broaden the
provision of ACTs naƟonwide in the future.
24

27. 3.0 How Did We Make a Success Story

28. 3.0 How Did We Make a Success Story
It is a long history of human civilizaƟon to make educaƟon universal which is also a fact in the context
of Bangladesh. AŌer the LiberaƟon War in 1971, Bangladesh with its new consƟtuƟon had put forth
educaƟon as one of the top prioriƟes. For children growing up in rural Bangladesh, the schools were far
and few. On the other hand, for urban children schooling was reserved for the elite. The government
of Bangladesh has been aggressively developing schools, colleges and universiƟes. In 1970, in the then
East Pakistan the teacher to student raƟo was 28.42 students to a teacher. As the populaƟon growth
accelerated in Bangladesh, the government began creaƟng teachers training insƟtutes. Yet it was gap
that was hard to meet. This was evident when stream of talented students from village, many of who
are now in top brass of their profession became a story of olden days. In tough compeƟƟon, students
and parents opted for private tuiƟon while the poor students languished in villages stuck in their
socioeconomic cycle with no way to break through.
It has not all been bad news. Bangladesh has made tremendous progress by meeƟng several targets of
the United NaƟons’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) like being on track to eradicate extreme
poverty, reducing child mortality and improving maternal health. Bangladesh has successfully achieved
the goal of promoƟng gender equality in primary educaƟon. Now, the goal of universal primary
educaƟon needs aƩenƟon and Bangladesh has real chance in meeƟng that target. In response to this
disparity in opportunity among students between poor and well-to-do families plus gender inequality
due to social outlook, the government of Bangladesh took major iniƟaƟves. The Government of
Bangladesh through its Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon (DSHE) is implemenƟng the
SEQAEP since July 2008 as a follow up project of Female Secondary School Assistance Project (FSSAP)
Phase II.
To address the issue the Government of Bangladesh has been implemenƟng the World Bank financed
Secondary EducaƟon Quality Access and Enhancement Project (SEQAEP). SEQAEP is one of the largest
poverty targeted safety net projects in secondary educaƟon. The SEQAEP aimed at creaƟng educaƟonal
opportuniƟes in Bangladesh to ensure equitable access to quality educaƟon at the secondary level. It
has been emphasizing to ensure quality educaƟon especially in English and MathemaƟcs learning. The
overall objecƟve of the project is to improve quality of schooling, strengthen capacity to systemaƟcally
assess and monitor learning outcomes and to improve equitable access in 125 project Upazilas of
61 Districts of Bangladesh. The total number targeted educaƟonal insƟtuƟons are 6,781 Secondary
School and Madrasha’s throughout the country. It has four main components comprising of 13 sub
components. It is the first naƟonal level intervenƟon of its kind where Proxy Means TesƟng (PMT) was
used to systemaƟcally idenƟfy pro-poor student with priority to girls. Despite various impediments
the primary school enrolment was 80% while half of them dropped out before compleƟng the primary
level and majority of them would leave within one or two years of entering schools. This project has
reduced drop-out rate in both primary and secondary level to 44.99 % among boys and 60.8% among
girls. Now, many students are able to conƟnue their studies to grade 10. SEQAEP has disbursed fund to
2,19,014 PMT-students as SSC/Equivalent Pass Awards to enable them to conƟnue higher educaƟon.
All these have been possible for some targeted steps taken in the project. SEQAEP supported
selected rural schools with trained Resource Teachers (RTs) and Subject Teacher (STs) for English and
MathemaƟcs. Pass rate of most insƟtuƟons which had AddiƟonal Classes (ACs) was near about 100%.
In partnership with Bishwo ShahiƩo Kendro (BSK) the Developing Reading Habit (DRH) Program was
an effecƟve program where 17,32,965 students in 6,669 insƟtutes have a library with books, necessary
funding and trained staff. For promoƟng healthy compeƟƟon for quality educaƟon there is provision
for Achievement Award for students, teachers and insƟtuƟons. In Improving School FaciliƟes (ISF)
component, user groups were trained and formed. The groups acted as support to improve sanitaƟon
and access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, School Management CommiƩee and Parent Teacher
AssociaƟon (SMC-PTA) were created in 6,781 insƟtutes.
26

29. The SMC-PTA members were trained on their roles and responsibiliƟes. They have been successful in
communicaƟng social awareness and were credited for increasing student aƩendance, reducing drop-outs,
prevenƟng early marriages and much more. The learning assessment component is first of its
kind intervenƟon in Bangladesh where quality of educaƟon and its outcome is measured. Based on the
learning outcomes, naƟonal level policy will be recommended.
The government of Bangladesh is in the process of implemenƟng a comprehensive NaƟonal EducaƟon
Policy 2010. Meanwhile, the second revised Development Project Proforma (DPP) of SEQAEP was
approved on 26 January 2014 with an addiƟonal financing of US$ 265 million which is about two
Ɵmes higher than the original esƟmated cost of the project. The implementaƟon period of the project
has been increased to December 2017 instead of June 2014 with an extended coverage of new 90
Upazilas. This is in addiƟon to original 125 Upazilas. Most of the intervenƟons either achieved the
project end target or surpassed the original target. Based on the successful implementaƟon the donor,
development partners, different agencies, stakeholders and grassroots level beneficiaries recognised
the SEQAEP as one of the effecƟve and useful projects in order to reach the overall goal of improving
the quality of secondary educaƟon.
Overall Assessment of SEQAEP
The Government of Bangladesh through its Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon has been
implemenƟng its work throgh the SEQAEP since July 2008 as a follow up project of FSSAP Phase II. Over
the last five years, significant progress has been made based on different key indicators. As per Project
Appraisal Document of the World Bank (WB), as of June 27, 2008 the proposed Key Performance
Indicators (KPIs) and the progress up to 2013 are given below:
2.0 Table: KPI of SEQAEP
Indicators Baseline
(2007)
Mid-Term
Targets
(2010)
Project End
Target June
2014
Achievement
in 2012
Progress up
to Dec. 2013
Source of data
1. CompleƟon rate
in Grade 10 (%)
20 23 31 71 71.75 MEW,
Independent
surveys
2. No. of students
appearing in SSC
(000)
187 243 310 292 284 BANBEIS/BISE
Poor (%) 84 97 70
3. SSC pass rates (%)
a)Poor
30
64
82
89.4
b)Non-poor
65
69
72
79
80.52
72
PMT
Administrator,
BISE
4. Monitor learning
levels in secondary
school (Bengali,
English &Math)
IniƟal
stages
Two
assessment
tests in Eng.
and Maths
for G 8
Annual
assessment
in Eng. &
Maths for G
6 and 8
1st assessment
completed
& 2nd
assessment is
in progress
Report
is under
process
Independent
Survey, MEW
5. Gender parity
(male/female) in
enrolment in grades
6 to 10 (%)
0.82 0.84 0.87 0.87 0.85 MEW,
Independent
Survey, PMTA
6. Percentage
of poor children
enrolled in
secondary school
30% 34% 39% 40% 47.18% MEW,
Independent
surveys
27

30. 3.1 Institutional Capacity Strengthening

31. 3.1 Institutional Capacity Strengthening
The InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Strengthening is a major component in the Secondary EducaƟon Quality
Access and Enhancement Project (SEQAEP). In reality this component had been a key challenge that the
SEQAEP team had successfully overcome to achieve and at Ɵmes exceeding many of the project goals.
According to Planning Commission, in Bangladesh across all sectors the (budget) burn rate is about 57%.
While for SEQAEP, the team has managed to reach an efficient burn rate of 97% approximately. This had
been possible for the superior project management and leadership of SEQAEP team.
This component, InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Strengthening, had four sub-components. All these programmes
had been created to enhance management capacity, accountability and above all transparency at the
school-level management. This component aims at strengthening School Management CommiƩee
(SMC), Parent Teacher AssociaƟon (PTA), and stakeholders involved in the secondary educaƟon. The
sub-components were:
(i) Project Management;
(ii) InsƟtuƟonal Capacity Building;
(iii) School Management Accountability and;
(iv) EducaƟon Awareness and Community MobilizaƟon.
3.1.1 Project Management
The main objecƟves of establishing SEQAEP unit was to build on administraƟve structure that will be
responsible for project implementaƟon and to assist the administraƟve partners and involved agencies.
The SEQAEP is unit comprised of 40 personnel headed by a Project Director (PD). The PD of SEQAEP was
responsible for the overall implementaƟon of project in accordance with the design and structure of the
RDPP. The PD was assisted by two Deputy Directors and three Assistant Directors along with supporƟng
officers. A group of independent consultants also assisted the PD in designing, formulaƟng modaliƟes
of implementaƟon, operaƟon financial management, procurement, developing training manuals,
operaƟon manuals, and conducƟon of several trainings.
The Monitoring and EvaluaƟon Wing (MEW) under the Directorate of Secondary and Higher EducaƟon
(DSHE) was set up for monitoring and evaluaƟng SEQAEP acƟviƟes. The MEW was mandated to monitor
the tasks of ACs in the scheduled insƟtuƟons. In doing so, the concerned Upazila Secondary EducaƟon
Officers (USEOs) were monitoring addiƟonal classes frequently and they communicated the informaƟon
received from the insƟtuƟons to the Director, MEW. The MEW processes all informaƟon in a prescribed
format describing the scenarios of insƟtuƟon-wise ACs conducted and producing a report along with
recommendaƟons for providing allocaƟons against remuneraƟons of the teachers involved. The report
was then sent to PD, SEQAEP for necessary acƟons.
On field-level to strengthen the school management, the following acƟviƟes were implemented under
SEQAEP. In developing the modaliƟes of strengthening the capacity of SEQAEP insƟtuƟons, consultants
have already been engaged in developing and designing training materials. These are:
• FormaƟon of SMCs and PTAs;
• Training for the members of the SMCs and PTAs;
• Introducing schools to conduct social assessment; and
• Introducing school informaƟon reporƟng cards system.
3.2.1 Institutional Capacity Building
Trainings and workshops on how to implement the strategies, and the team’s consensus of solving the
problem required knowledge of models of how other organizaƟons and countries have successfully
overcame those. SEQAEP with support of LGED used a new method of sorƟng out poor students through
household survey i.e. Proxy Means TesƟng (PMT) in the 125 Upazilas during the past 4 years. The
concerned officials of SEQAEP, Monitoring and EvaluaƟon Wing (MEW) and Directorate of Secondary and
Higher EducaƟon(DSHE)were oriented on these topics.
29

32. Training session for PTA members being conducted
AŌer a need assessment, concerned officials of SEQAEP and MEW were trained to introduce the
internaƟonal benchmark on quality of secondary educaƟon in the developed countries. The World Bank
organized a six-day long training on Learning Assessment for EducaƟon Policy Making in Melbourne,
Australia. On a ten-day study visit on the Management and ImplementaƟon Secondary EducaƟon in
Canada the team had knowledge sharing meeƟng in Westland Secondary School in Niagara Falls; Niagara
College Teaching Winery to showcase “Learning Enterprises”; Niagara College and its outreach to local
High School Students and Local Community; and most importantly the Central Technical School, District
School Board. Another team visited School within College (SWAC); York Catholic District School Board
(YCDCB); OƩawa School Board and a High School in Toronto and another in Niagara area. A two-member
team received training on Procurement and Management for Goods, Physical Services and Consultancy
Services from Turin, Italy.
Without trained officials it is next to impossible to envision the correct ways of implemenƟng the project
and reinvenƟng the process whereas there are successful examples of execuƟon elsewhere in the world.
By orienƟng the project officials with the internaƟonal standard of secondary educaƟon and administraƟve
processes, the officials were able to innovate ways to adapt the benchmark for Bangladesh. Because of
beƩer project management in first four years of the project, the work surpassed the project end target
one year prior to deadline.
SEQAEP Team at Ontario Ministry of EducaƟon in Canada. SEQAEP team at Toronto District School Board
30

33. The disbursement of finances through appropriate channel to various stakeholders reached almost
100%. The project staffs were able to idenƟfy key areas which can have high-impact in improving
secondary educaƟon quality through a series of academic support intervenƟons and incenƟves.
3.1.3 School Management and Accountability
Discussion on the problems and soluƟons relaƟng PTA Sr. consultant is highlighƟng the responsibility of PTA
Rubina Akhter Rubi is the eldest among three siblings. Life is a struggle as it is, being a daughter of
a landless farmer in Sultanpur village of Bera Upazila in Pabna district. The only silver lining in Rubi’s
life was being able to aƩend Paikpara High School. Her school is few kilometers away from her home
and the walk had increasingly become fearful with eve-teasing turning to hints of physical abuse. Rubi
shared her ordeal with her mother who rather than supporƟng her inquired whether she had insƟgated
this behavior from the boys. Her mother worrying about what might happen agrees with her father
to arrange marriage with a “suitable” man. Rubi’s dream of siƫng for SSC exam just a year ahead now
seemed impossible. Her uncle, Mr. Belaet, came to know about his niece’s situaƟon as parents stopped
her from conƟnuing school. Mr. Belaet contacted the Parent Teacher AssociaƟon (PTA) of Paikpara
High School. The PTA decided to speak with the parents of the boys who were eve teasing Rubi and
with the community level intervenƟon the situaƟon was resolved for Rubi. The PTA also explained the
disadvantage of early marriage and convinced Rubi’s parents to allow her to conƟnue schooling.
Unfortunately, the intervenƟon was seen in a negaƟve light by neighbors. The neighbors conƟnued to
blame Rubi for creaƟng a so-called drama to gain aƩenƟon and not going through with the arranged
marriage. The Head Teacher of Paikpara High School was disheartened with the ugly remarks of Rubi’s
neighbors. He spearheaded a meeƟng with support of PTA with neighbors of Rubi. In the meeƟng they
explained the neighbors on staƟsƟcs of eve teasing for which many girls Ɵll date commits suicide and it
is not a random thing. If this was leŌ unchecked, then this could escalate to even worse social menace.
Moreover, PTA reminded that government of Bangladesh has strong laws against eve teasing as well as
early marriage and if needed, law enforcement agencies will be noƟfied. The neighbors understood the
gravity of the situaƟon and now have supporƟve aƫtude towards Rubi and other school-going girls.
The aim of School Management and Accountability component is to orientate and enhance the capacity
of the School Management CommiƩees (SMCs), Madrasha Management CommiƩee (MMC) and Parent
Teacher AssociaƟons (PTAs) members of non-government secondary educaƟon insƟtuƟons. SEQAEP has
reformed the exisƟng duƟes and responsibiliƟes of PTA and decentralized its management hierarchy.
The sixteen-member ExecuƟve CommiƩee of PTA is comprised of:
• Ten members will be parents/guardian representaƟves;
• Five teacher representaƟves; and
• One member will be a parent selected by SMC/MMC.
31

34. Mr. Md. Shahid BakhƟar Alam, Project Director, SEQAEP, addressing at the six-day training programme for the RT
(a) Case Study:
Mrs. Asia Begum, PTA Member, Sanandabari High School, Upazila: Dewanganj, District: Jamalpur
Mrs. Asia Begum used to live in Gaibandha with her family. In 2005, her husband, Mr. Anowar Hossain
Mondal died suddenly in a road accident leaving Mrs. Begum to struggle with her son, Sarafat Jaman
Porash. Soon aŌer this tragedy, they lost their home and a small piece of culƟvatable land to the river
erosion of Brahmaputra river. Now they were homeless, landless and without a earning member in
the family Mrs. Begum decided to return to the neighbouring district, Jamalpur to her father. She was
strong willed and determined to give her son Porash a fighƟng chance in life out of poverty by giving
him educaƟon. She has a goat and rears poutry enabling her to financially support themselves. From
SEQAEP, Porash receives sƟpend and tuiƟons. Porash has persistently did well in his school. As student
of class X of Sanandabari High School he stood 5th among 178 students. The good result has enabled
him to get Student Acheivement Award too. Mrs. Asia Begum was selected by SMC to represent them
in PTA for her pracƟcal approach to solving problems and her son’s performance in school even though
they live in poverty. Since 2010, as a conscious guardian, Mrs. Asia Begum has been a PTA member in
Sanandabari High School.In her role of PTA member, she aƩends and parƟcipates in the (PTA) meeƟngs
to share the teaching-learning situaƟon of the school and other community level issues like prevenƟng
early marriages among girl students. Through implementaƟon of this sub-component, SMC, MMC and
PTA members were informed on the rules and regulaƟons of the government.
Sarafat Jaman Porash, his mother, Mrs. Asia Begum and Mr. Bidyut
Sarkar, RT (English)
The ledger staƟng Mrs. Asia Begum’s aƩendance in PTA meeƟng.
32

35. The SMC and PTA members were oriented on the modaliƟes of conducƟng ACs on English and
MathemaƟcs, on the changing scopes and redesign of implementaƟons of other intervenƟons. The
project had trained the concerned officials with involvement of the relevant NaƟonal Consultants. PTA
was organized in 6,781 insƟtuƟons and 67,810 PTA members were oriented on their scope of work.
During 2012, SEQAEP had targeted to orient 1,664 persons likely to be involved in conducƟng ACs on
English and MathemaƟcs. The aim was to create awareness among the stakeholders at the school level
and in the community including the PTA members. Among the targeted persons, the chair of SMCs and
PTAs of selected insƟtuƟons were trained in Dhaka. In 8 batches 1,664 persons/chairs were trained
during June and July 2012. AŌer the orientaƟon of chairs, the Training Manual on School Management
& Accountability had been developed. Furthermore, training program for 500 targeted trainers was
arranged in September 2012. The concerned trainers were: 125 USEOs, 125 AUSEOs, 125 Upazila
Primary EducaƟon Officers (UPEO) and locally available 125 Resource Persons. They were trained in
Dhaka in 13 batches to work as trainer for future program at the school level. UlƟmately this process
helped to make the insƟtuƟons transparent and accountable of their work. The responsibiliƟes of PTA
are overall social audit of the management of the insƟtuƟon, monitor teachers’ performance and ACs,
student parƟcipaƟon, operaƟon of PMT booths, incenƟve award, and supervision of Mobile Training
Resource Team (MTRT). PTA has an important role as source of feedback for Monitoring & EvaluaƟon
team.
Students face a lot of obstacles when they live in a poverty stricken family, especially female students
like Rubi. The community level associaƟons like SMC, MMC and PTA when funcƟoning independently has
been proven to make effecƟve intervenƟon in society. In research, it has been found that it is important
to include beneficiaries and not to neglect opinion of people for social status, level of educaƟon or
gender. Here, Mrs. Asia Begum is one such poor and widowed mother who has been part of PTA and
made real impact in lives of students, teachers and parents in her village.
3.1.4 Education Awareness and Community Mobilization (EACM)
VisiƟng of stalls at an educaƟon fair
Mr. Abdur Rahim lives with his five children in Rupshe village of Chatmohar Upazila of Pabna district.
Though he struggles financially, he is commiƩed to educaƟng his boys and girls. All his children are
student of Handial High School which is under SEQAEP. He being illiterate himself and simply unaware of
SEQAEP, he never acƟvely seek out any assistance. Meanwhile, his eldest son, Shamser, passed HSC and
went to city for work. His elder daughter, Rina too was recently married off. When his third child, Jamil
was studying in Class V, Mr. Rahim came to know about SEQAEP’s assistance to poor students in terms of
sƟpend, tuiƟon and student achievement awards from a folk song concert staged by PIACT.
33

36. He consulted with his neighbours and
went to meet Jamil’s teachers to verify
about the faciliƟes. He was informed that
every year during September to October,
USEO and Upazila Engineering Office of
LGED operated the PMT Booth where
informaƟon of students were collected.
Mr. Rahim and Jamil went to PMT Booth
where they were interviewed by LGED
officials. Later on the officials visited Mr.
Rahim’s home to verify whether he is truly
financially disadvantaged and therefore
eligible. Before disbursement, Jamil was
explained that he has to aƩend classes
regularly and perform well in class to
conƟnue to qualify for PMT-based sƟpend
DemonstraƟon of projects at an educaƟon fair and tuiƟon.
Jamil has been doing well in school and received Best Student Achievement Award. Mr. Rahim is relieved
that he does not have to bear cost related to Jamil’s educaƟon now. Yet he regrets not knowing about
SEQAEP earlier because Shamser and Rina were both eligible for PMT-based sƟpend and tuiƟon. The
family had missed the opportunity to save money. The administraƟve responsibility of sub-component
EACM, was outsourced to PIACT Bangladesh through compeƟƟve bidding. PIACT Bangladesh (Program
for the IntroducƟon and AdaptaƟon of ContracepƟve Technology) is a naƟonal level NGO. For creaƟng
awareness, PIACT executed a campaign that lasted for one and half year ending in October 2012. The
campaign covered 122 Upazila of 61 districts.
PIACT organized awareness-raising meeƟng with key stakeholders such as Upazila Officials, local
government representaƟves, local elites, heads of insƟtuƟons and school management commiƩee
(SMC) members on the working of SEQAEP project. A total of 2,767 people parƟcipated in these
meeƟngs. At insƟtuƟon level, all the PTA member secretaries of 4,000 educaƟon insƟtuƟons were
provided a day long orientaƟon with a vision that they can replicate the orientaƟon amongst the PTA
and SMC members of their respecƟve insƟtuƟons. About 3,981 PTA member secretaries received the
orientaƟon. The goals of the orientaƟons were to explain and receive support of the parents, teachers
and other stakeholders towards implemenƟng the SEQAEP through EACM acƟviƟes. Among 4,000
insƟtuƟons SMC, MMC and PTA members aƩended awareness-raising meeƟng. From 2013, as part of
EACM the SEQAEP team organized four EducaƟon Fairs aŌer the compleƟon of the school and Madrasha
exams. These EducaƟon Fairs were aƩended by students, teachers, parents, guardians, commiƩees and
the community. Stalls were setup to exhibit posters, publicaƟons and school projects. Best performing
teachers, students and insƟtutes were given incenƟve awards. Students performed in the cultural show.
The EducaƟon Fairs became a great forum for different insƟtutes to share and explore knowledge.
Folk songs are organized to spread out SEQAEP program
34

37. The PTA members of 3,981 secondary level educaƟon
insƟtuƟons who had received day-long orientaƟon
earlier in turn provided orientaƟon to the remaining
PTAs, SMCs and MMC members. This program
increased parƟcipaƟon of PTA, SMC and MMC member
to enrol ultra-poor students, reduce drop-outs while
establishing transparency and accountability to ensure
quality educaƟon. A total of 95,544 stakeholders had
parƟcipated in these events. All the secondary educaƟon
insƟtuƟons of SEQAEP under 122 Upazilas have been
grouped in to 1,300 clusters. There are five insƟtuƟons
in each cluster while one of the insƟtuƟons acƟng
as lead. The planning meeƟngs were organized with
the 260 insƟtuƟons leading each cluster. The meeƟng
coordinated and organized cultural program at Upazila
levels. The cultural programmes also included debates
and essay compeƟƟons.
Cultural Programme in Institution Level (Institutions)
Folk Song (No of event) Street Drama (No of event)
61%
33%
6%
The proporƟon of EACM acƟviƟes organized by PIACT.
In the rural area of Bangladesh folk song and street drama are popular communicaƟon media. A total of
1,836 folk song and 194 street drama events were organized to spread out importance of SEQAEP program
among the teachers, students, guardians and community. PIACT organized the events such as cultural
programme in insƟtuƟons, street drama and folk song. Here is a pie-chart showing the proporƟon of
their acƟviƟes. Laminated posters containing SEQAEP slogans and brief on acƟviƟes were fixed in various
strategically important places like major educaƟonal insƟtuƟons and public places. Moreover, PIACT
Bangladesh distributed posters to UNO offices, Office of Upazila Chairman, Upazila Secondary EducaƟon
Officer (USEO) Office and Upazila Complexes. SEQAEP has been working on lots of acƟviƟes for the poor,
disadvantaged and weak students. At the iniƟal stage of rolling-out, most of beneficiaries were unaware
of SEQAEP and its acƟviƟes. It was a formidable challenge for SEQAEP to inform the messages to all its
stakeholders given the dispersed locaƟons of all the Upazilas across rural Bangladesh, many of which are
remote and hard-to-reach. To overcome this, SEQAEP had assigned PIACT to take on the EACM acƟvity
and to run the awareness campaigns. The grass-root level campaigns organized by PIACT created mass
awareness about SEQAEP and the benefits that it is offering to areas under coverage. Poor parents like
Mr. Abdur Rahim came to know about PMT-based sƟpend, tuiƟon and student achievement awards and
reached out to SEQAEP. Many children like Jamil has now become serious in being regular in class and
understands that government will conƟnue to support him as long as he is performing well in his studies.
This gives financially disadvantaged students who want to complete secondary educaƟon a chance to
break-out of poverty cycle.
Few sample posters:
35
Poster explaining SEQAEP acƟviƟes and encouraging
poor students that they too can aƩend college.
Poster to communicate to students about
the AddiƟonal Classes.

38. 3.2 Improving Education Quality and
Capacity to Monitoring Teaching-
Learning Levels

39. 3.2 Improving Education Quality and Capacity to Monitoring Teaching-Learning
Levels
The following four sub-components were included in Improving EducaƟon Quality and Capacity to
Monitor Teaching- Learning Levels in order to achieve quality of educaƟon:
(i) Support for English Language and MathemaƟcs Learning and Teaching;
(ii) IncenƟve awards to Students, Teachers and InsƟtuƟons;
(iii) Development of the Reading Habits and
(iv) Assessment of EducaƟon Quality.
3.2.1 Support for English Language and Mathematics Learning and Teaching
A resource person facilitaƟng training for the Resource Teacher
of MathemaƟcs
Group discussion of English Resource Teachers during training
Mr. Maolana Mozibur Rahman is the principal of Islam Alim Madrasha. It is situated in Islampur Upazila in
Jamalpur district. He has been working in the Madrasha since 1991 and in 2002 he took over as principal
of the insƟtuƟon. Dakhil pass rate of Islam Alim Madrasha was 20%, 23% and 27% in 2002, 2003 and
2004 respecƟvely. He observed that most of the students were failing in English and MathemaƟcs. Mr.
Rahman was puzzled to find these poor results, as the Madrasha had no qualified MathemaƟcs and
English subject teachers and other subject teachers had to take English and MathemaƟcs classes. District
EducaƟon Officer (DEO) and local Upazila Secondary EducaƟon Officer (USEO) advised the Principal to
appoint English and MathemaƟcs subject teachers. The local educaƟon authority had provided training
to the teachers on English and MathemaƟcs. Unfortunately, next year the results of these two subjects
did not improve. Mr. Rahman again contacted USEO hoping to find soluƟon for the situaƟon. The USEO
informed him about SEQAEP through which trained English and MathemaƟcs RTs take ACs in various
educaƟonal insƟtuƟons. Moreover, the insƟtuƟon which needs help would not have to bear the cost of
the Resource Teachers (RTs). As suggested by the USEO, Mr. Rahman applied to SEQAEP for English and
MathemaƟcs teachers and subsequently got two RTs trained by SEQAEP.
AŌer geƫng English and MathemaƟcs RTs he did not have to worry about the poor results. Gradually
the result of Dakhil and JDC has been improving. Now the pass rate of Islam Alim Madrasha has
increased to 100%. Like Islam Alim Madrasha, many insƟtuƟons have benefited from SEQAEP acƟviƟes.
Furthermore, the pass rate of SSC/JSC has increased to about 100% in many of the insƟtuƟons because
of the SEQAEP ACs support. For example SaƟrjan Girls High School, Sundarganj, Gaibandha, Chandipur
Alhaj Tahurunnessa Girls High School, Sundarganj, Gaibandha, etc.
Most of the students at secondary level cannot pass in English and MathemaƟcs in our country as a result
dropout rate is high. The sub-component, Support for English and MathemaƟcs, has been iniƟated to
assist the low performing insƟtuƟons to improve by supporƟng their students with addiƟonal classes
(ACs) in English and MathemaƟcs. Only disadvantaged insƟtuƟons were selected. These insƟtuƟons
received trained RTs who took addiƟonal classes outside of regular schedule. Out of 6,781 SEQAEP
insƟtuƟons in 125 Upazilas, 402 insƟtuƟons were selected from 55 Upazilas for ACs. From the selected
insƟtuƟons 556 RTs for English and another 612 for MathemaƟcs were provided with basic trainings.
37

40. A session on MathemaƟcs during RT Training Group exercise of MathemaƟcs RTs
In addiƟon, 1,400 Subject Teachers (STs) were trained. Up to December 2013, more than 0.52 million
ACs were conducted in selected 402 SEQAEP insƟtuƟons. The objecƟves of AddiƟonal Class Program:
(i) Improve students’ performance in English Language and MathemaƟcs.
(ii) Reduce high rate of failure and increase pass rate in the JSC/JDC, SSC/Dakhil examinaƟon.
(iii) Improve classroom teaching-learning processes in English Language and MathemaƟcs in targeted
project insƟtuƟons.
(iv) Discourage private coaching/tuiƟon.
(v) Reduce student drop out
3.2.2 (b) Case Study:
Nazirpur Palli Jagoran High School, Upazila: Kalmakanda, District: Netrokona
Mr. Md. Ataur Rahman Khan, Head Teacher
of Nazirpur Palli Jagoran High School has
come a long way since he joined two years
back. Reminiscing how he found the school
and helplessness that seeped deep down him
about the dire situaƟon. Head Teacher recalls, “I
could not think of a way out with poor budget.
I organized meeƟngs with teachers, parents and
students to discuss on various issues. We had
taken all possible internal measures to improve
the situaƟon. SƟll Nazirpur Palli Jagoran High
School was struggling with only 24% pass rate
in Secondary School CerƟficate (SSC) and 28% in
Junior School CerƟficate (JSC) examinaƟons.It was
God sent when I received a call from USEO and
he explained to me about SEQAEP financed and
trained Resource Teachers (RTs) for English and
MathemaƟcs.”
Mr Md. Ataur Rahman Khan, Head Teacher of Nazirpur Palli Jagoran
High School
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the school to appoint teachers due to lack of funding.
The trained Resource Teachers began taking addiƟonal classes (ACs) before regular school hours and on
Friday i.e. weekly holiday. Soon things began to change for beƩer. Thinking back, “I was taken aback to
see the enthusiasm and sincere effort of teachers and students alike on new ways of teaching.”
The Head Teacher along with members of PTA and MMC were trained in Dhaka. Now PTA and SMC
members regularly communicate with the school authority and also members’ sit-in during addiƟonal
classes (ACs). Students do not require private tuiƟon on English and MathemaƟcs. Now, Nazirpur Palli
Jagoran High School boasts 82.75% pass rate in Secondary School CerƟficate (SSC) and 92.4% in Junior
School CerƟficate (JSC) examinaƟons. The community and the school are thankful to SEQAEP for its
assistance.
38

41. A Resource Teacher of Nazirpur Palli Jagoran High School is conducƟng English AddiƟonal Class
(c) Case Study:
Ulaul Model High School, Upazila: Daulatpur, District: Manikganj
Mr. Monir Hossain aŌer being appointed as MathemaƟcs resource teacher (RT) received a six-day
training on modern teaching techniques, using various tools to teach and responsibiliƟes of a resource
teacher (RT). Monir says, “The training opened my eyes to pracƟcal teaching methods that I was not
aware of during my academic life.” AŌer joining Ulaul Model High School, Monir organized a daylong
session with students, teachers, parents, SMC and PTA members about addiƟonal classes. Monir
remembers, “I didn’t receive much response from students, parents or teachers. I didn’t give up. I
began visiƟng the houses of students and found that the parents are very poor unable to afford school
uniform and many cannot afford three square meals a day. During monsoon, they also had to take
boat to reach the school.”
On iniƟal competency assessment of the
students Mr. Hossain realized that all the
students were weak in MathemaƟcs. Ulaul
Model High School had SSC exam pass
rate of 55% and JSC 57% in MathemaƟcs.
Steadily, Mr. Hossain with support of Head
Teacher took in more than 40 students in
ACs. Mr. Hossain introduced parƟcipatory
method whereby students learned in groups
and explained MathemaƟcs with games.
Students started taking a lot more interest
in MathemaƟcs and in 2013, it reflected
in results. Ulaul Model High School now
boasts 100% pass rate in JSC and 93% in SSC
Students during AddiƟonal Class in MathemaƟcs.
Mr. Hossain makes regular visits to students’ homes and proudly shared, “The best part of all the
achievements is that there have been zero dropouts among students in sixth to tenth class.”
In RDPP, the target was set to train 800 RTs that is 400 English and 400 MathemaƟcs teachers. Within
December 2013, SEQAEP team has been able to meet and exceed the target by training 1,168 (146%)
RTs. To revisit the main learning points the trained RTs were again given one day refreshers training
in Dhaka. Remarkably Ɵll December 2013 a total of 1,002 RTs received the refreshers training which
83% of the set target of 1200. These measures by SEQAEP authority resulted in conducƟng major
porƟon of 87% (521,335) ACs against the target set. The details are shown in the Table 3.0.
39

42. 3.0 Table: Project Profile
Item of AcƟviƟes RDPP Target CumulaƟve up to Dec 2013 Percentage of Target
Number of RT Trained 800 1168 146%
Number of English RT Trained 400 556 139%
Number of Math RT Trained 400 612 153%
Number of one day refreshers Training 1200 1002 83%
Number of ACs in Math& English 6,00,000 5,21,335 87%
Source : SEQAEP AC Desk
Due to ACs in English and MathemaƟcs there have been remarkable results such as:
• In 2013, the average pass rate of JSC/JDC in SEQAEP insƟtuƟons is more than 95%.
• In 2013, The average pass rate of SSC/Dakhil in SEQAEP insƟtuƟons is about 90%;
• In many areas private tuiƟon has been discouraged;
• Six months ahead of target, all 561 STs were successfully engaged;
• Dropout rate has been reduced and
• Overall student aƩendance has increased.
Percentages of Target Achieved
Percentage
English RT
Trained, 139%
Math RT
Trained, 153%
SEQAEP trained 139% and 153%, English and
MathemaƟcs RTs respecƟvely compared to the targets.
A Resource Teacher is conducƟng MathemaƟcs AddiƟonal Class
SEQAEP is dedicated to provide quality educaƟon parƟcularly to develop the English language skill
and MathemaƟcal knowledge of the students at secondary level including Madrasha. It also aimed at
reducing the high rate of fails and increasing pass rate in the SSC/ Dakhil/ JSC/JDC examinaƟons. To
develop English and MathemaƟcs, SEQAEP has introduced ACs in English language and MathemaƟcs
subject at 400 insƟtuƟons. The guardians and students of poor families are very happy and grateful to
SEQAEP for ACs. The learners enjoy the English and MathemaƟcs class as most of the RTs use teaching
aids and mulƟ-media to make the class interesƟng and effecƟve. This has enormously contributed to stop
the need for private tuiƟon. The training component of this acƟvity has far reaching effect in the capacity
strengthening of other teachers. The schedules of the ACs were either before or aŌer the regular school
hours. The schedule are not suitable for the students as they had to come to school very early in the
morning or wait long hours aŌer the usual classes to be able to aƩend the ACs. The students are mostly
from poor families who are unable to bear addiƟonal expenses for snacks or pocket money. Hence, it was
difficult for teachers to moƟvate students to stay extra hours while they were hungry. This innovaƟve
program of SEQAEP has incorporated world-class best pracƟces in educaƟon sector. The far-reaching
impacts of AC program are 100% pass rate in SSC or equivalent as well as JSC or equivalent exams due
to improved quality educaƟon imparted by RTs to the students. This has reduced the phobia of English
and MathemaƟcs among students and hence it has eliminated private tuiƟon/ coaching. Among other
ongoing projects of Bangladesh in educaƟon sector, the above menƟoned successful implementaƟon has
set SEQAEP as a unique example.
Now AC program of SEQAEP is highly demanded by the insƟtuƟons, teachers, parents and students
because it had been effecƟvely implemented all over Bangladesh. The best example of reducing the
need for private tuiƟon in SEQAEP supported insƟtuƟons are Morakuri High School, Lakhai, Habigang;
Purba ChaparhaƟ Girls High School, Sundarganj, Gaibandha; Bozra Alifia Girls Dakhil Madrasha, Ulipur,
Kurigram. In reality, benefits of ACs are highly recognized and have become the talk of the Ɵme among
the parents of poor families.
40

43. The success stories of AC program conducted by these insƟtuƟons were published in the naƟonal
and local dailies. The saƟsfacƟon and gratefulness of the guardians and students of poor households
are expressed to the SEQAEP authority have been reflected through the success stories published in
the newspaper. Furthermore, the pass rate of SSC/JSC has increased to about 100% in many of the
insƟtuƟons because of the ACs support. The parents of the poor families are now very happy and
demanding highly to SEQAEP for providing support with free of cost ACs in remote areas. The impact
of ACs support and the RT acƟviƟes are highly focused through reduced dropout rate and increased
student aƩendance in the insƟtuƟons. Last but not the least, many subject teachers of the insƟtuƟons
are showing experiences and become skilled in classroom teaching being in touch with the Resource
Teachers. As a result the demand for ACs in other SEQAEP insƟtuƟons is also growing. This acƟvity has
become very popular among wide economic spectrum of people.
3.2.2 Incentive Awards to Students, Teachers and Institutes
Mr. Asifur Rahman is the Headmaster of Kanchanpur High School. The high school is situated in
Baghmara village under Kamarkhond Upazila of Sirajgonj District. This rural area of Bangladesh is flood-prone.
More than 1500 boys and girls mostly from poor families of neighbouring villages are studying in
this insƟtuƟon. There are 25 teachers in the school among them 17 teachers have completed Masters
while most of the teachers have passed Bachelor of educaƟon. Under the leadership of Mr. Rahman,
teachers and members of SMC and PTA of Kanchanpur High School have been ensuring consistent good
quality of educaƟon. All teachers are sincere and they are applying interacƟve and parƟcipatory teaching
methods to teach the students using teaching aids. Home works are assigned every day. Therefore
results in JSC and SSC examinaƟons are remarkable. The pass rates in public examinaƟons were more
than 90% for last three years. In 2012, USEO of Kamarkhond Upazila of Sirajgonj District informed Mr.
Rahman about the leƩer from SEQAEP menƟoning Kanchanpur High School has been awarded the
InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Awards (IAA) accompanying with Tk.100,000 in cash prize. All the students,
parents of Kanchanpur High School and the community are proud for achieving IAA and they are also
delighted for their results of public examinaƟons. Like Kanchanpur High School, SEQAEP has provided
IAA to about 5,000 insƟtuƟons. In addiƟon, under this program 146,000 poor students received SSC and
Dakhil Pass Awards. To encourage teachers, 2,986 for MathemaƟcs and 2,995 for English Language were
awarded Teacher IncenƟve Award for their performance. By looking at the popularity and effecƟveness
of SEQAEP’s IAA program, now all 484 Upazilas of Bangladesh has adapted this best pracƟce.
The objecƟve of this incenƟve award is to encourage insƟtuƟons, Head Teachers, Teachers, Students,
School Management CommiƩees (SMC), Parent Teacher AssociaƟons (PTA) and others supporƟng
educaƟon in the school to reach and maintain high level of achievement. This sub-component focuses
on the achievement of students, teachers and insƟtuƟons by providing addiƟonal monetary incenƟves
and thereby reaches and maintains educaƟonal goals through a conƟnuous and long-term process.
This sub-component focuses on providing monetary incenƟves to encourage rural students, teachers
and insƟtuƟons to reach and maintain higher levels of achievement, understanding quality improvement
as a conƟnuous and long-term process. The impact of these incenƟves will be evaluated before project
compleƟon and the results will disseminated for potenƟal replicaƟon in other areas. IncenƟves to be
provided include:
Best Student Achievement Award: The best performing girl and boy student in the final examinaƟon
in Class VI, VII and IX (six in co-educaƟonal insƟtuƟons and three in other insƟtuƟons), and students
achieving highest class point average in the junior secondary compleƟon examinaƟons for class VIII (can
be more than two students in co-educaƟon insƟtuƟons depending upon the number of students who
achieve A+ class). Each student awardees will receive Taka 500 through Agrani Bank booths in March/
April.
PMT SSC Pass Award: All Proxy Means Test (PMT) selected students who pass the SSC or equivalent
examinaƟon will receive Taka 1,500 through Agrani Bank booths in September/October. Both best
student achievement award and PMT SSC pass award are relevant and remain unchanged from the
original design. Data processing and disbursement procedures for these awards will be aligned with
those for sƟpend and tuiƟon component (component 2.1).
41

44. Incentive Award for Education Institution
SEQAEP officials are presenƟng EducaƟon InsƟtuƟon IncenƟve
Award to representaƟve of a school
The best performing insƟtuƟons/
Madrasha in each Upazila will be
ranked according to the following
criteria: (i) number of regular
students appearing in SSC exams; (ii)
pass rate among regular students;
(iii) change in pass rate among
regular students from the previous
year. The weights of these criteria
will be determined based on data
analysis of SSC results from 2010
and 2011. The selecƟon for each
year will be based on SSC exams
held during the same calendar year
(data to be collected from respecƟve
BISE boards and processed at DPC).
The awardee insƟtuƟons can be
repeated aŌer a one year gap.
The selected insƟtuƟons will receive Tk 1,00,000 (one lac) in September/October. Based on SMC
minutes, the award will be distributed as follows: (a) teacher (15% Math, 15% English, 30% others); b)
to Head-teachers (15%)/Assistant HT (10%); and (c) SMC discreƟonary (15%). Agrani Bank will deposit
the award in insƟtuƟon award based on USEO verificaƟon of SMC minutes.
Based on implementaƟon experience in the first two years of the project, the teacher awards for
English and MathemaƟcs SSC student achievement and the insƟtuƟonal awards for SSC achievement
and Grade Progression Award (GPA) from the original project design are combined into a single
award as InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Award (IAA) to be implemented from January 2012. The main
raƟonale for this change is that the original SSC teacher and insƟtuƟon awards selecƟon cut-offs are
no longer relevant because both average and subject specific pass rates have increased markedly
since project preparaƟon, and that the GPA awards are difficult to administer given large discrepancies
between reported and verified informaƟon. The combined single award will be provided to two best
performing schools and one best performing Madrasha in each of the 125 Upazilas every year based
on Secondary School CompleƟon examinaƟon results. In 1966, Pathakata High School was established
in Nakla Upazila of Sherpur district with the help of local community people. Affluent members of
the community donated cash, land and construcƟon materials like wood, Ɵns or bamboo. Some
even helped in the construcƟon of Pathakata High School by volunteering to build it. The community
parƟcipaƟon was very strong for educaƟon of the local children. AŌer establishing the school, result
of SSC examinaƟon was good. Gradually over the decades, the insƟtuƟon has been sliding off in terms
of quality of educaƟon.
Mr. A.B.M. Benazir Ahmed is the Headmaster of Pathakata High School. In 2009, when he joined
the high school the SSC pass rate was 33%. Mr. Ahmed took iniƟaƟves to create educaƟon-friendly
enabling environment. Some of the highlights of the iniƟaƟves were ensuring 100% aƩendance
of teachers, improved teaching methods, used aƩracƟve teaching aids such as globe, interacƟve
charts and maps for class and monitored regular classes. Mr. Ahmed also arranged proper training
for the teachers, appointed high quality teachers and effecƟvely implemented AddiƟonal classes. To
improve the students’ performance Mr. Ahmed ensured aƩendance of regular class, proper uniform,
homework done on daily basis and parƟcipaƟon in co-curriculum acƟviƟes. In addiƟon he arranged
effecƟve meeƟng with SMC and PTA members, home visits and mothers’ assembly. Because of these
iniƟaƟves the pass rate of SSC examinaƟons increased to 89.33% in 2012, 89.70% in 2013 and 95.52%
in 2014. On the other hand, the pass rates of JSC examinaƟon increased to 79.56% in 2011, 76.15%
in 2012 and 97.59% in 2013. In recogniƟon of its encouraging performance Pathakata High School
received InsƟtuƟonal Achievement Awards from SEQAEP project in 2013.
42