Children out of school share woes with Nahid
Fifteen-year-old Sagar Pattadar does not dare to dream of a better life even if he gets a chance at his right to education.
Hailing from char area in Faridpur, Sagar, who lost his father at a young age, has to work in the field with his mother to run the family and so has neither the time nor the money for a formal education.
Ironically he was born in the year during which the Millennium Development Goals, which included primary education for all by 2015, were drawn up.
Sagar's story and those of 68 other children born in 2000 were narrated at a programme titled "Amader Jiboner Kotha [Stories of our life]" organised by Campaign for Popular Education (Campe) at the LGED building in the capital yesterday.
The children brought from across the country also included dropouts who had no financial problems for doing so.
Their stories were compiled in a book, Ekhon Ami Ponoro -- Amader Jiboner Kotha, which was launched at the programme. The book included their reasons for not enrolling and for dropping out.
Zakia of Barisal said she dropped out because of harassment by local miscreants she faced on her way to and from school.
"I wanted to be a teacher but I could not continue my studies after class IV," she said.
The children also spoke about their aspirations.
"I have vision impairment but I sat for the SSC exams and I am confident that I will pass with an A plus," said Faisal Mahmud Ibrahim.
Listening to the children's stories, chief guest at the programme, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said, "Age is no longer a problem for a person who wants to continue their studies in the country."
The minister referred to non-formal education and Bangladesh Open University for children who missed the opportunity to avail formal education.
Rasheda K Choudhury, executive director of Campe, said an additional US$22 billion is required to bring all children of the world under the umbrella of education.
Campe along with other NGOs and Grameenphone worked together to bring the stories of the children to light.
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