SADAT SAYEM

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Sonia Akhter, a Class III student at Amader Pathshala, was colouring a drawing of rural vista in the cultural programme of the school on one Saturday.

The daughter of a garment worker, Sonia often helps her mother in the household chores but she is regular in attending her classes from Uttar Kalshi in the Dhaka city’s Mirpur area.

‘I like to come to school and I enjoy my classes,’ she said.

Like Sonia, Mustak, a Class I student, also enjoys his classes and cultural activities at the school.

His shabby clothes, however, expose his poverty. He lives at a slum near the Mirpur Ceramic factory. Mustak’s father is a blind man, and his mother has no permanent work to earn money for her family.

To make education accessible to the destitute children like Sonia and Mustak, Amader Pathshala started its journey in January 2008 with the slogan ‘quality education for underprivileged children in a humanistic way’.

Located at House 40, Lane 25, Block D of Pallabi at Mirpur, the school has now 160 students.

The term ‘e-Learning’ means ‘electronic Learning’ that encompasses all forms of technology enhanced learning. e-Learning is the use of technology to enable people to learn anytime and anywhere. e-Learning can include training, the delivery of just-in-time information and guidance from experts. These services are delivered, enabled or mediated by ICT (Information & Communication Technology) for the purposes of delivering education.

e-Learning is a catch-all term that covers a wide range of instructional material that can be delivered on a CD-ROM or DVD, over a local area network (LAN), or on the Internet. It includes Computer-Based Training (CBT), Web-Based Training (WBT), Electronic Performance Support Systems (EPSS), distance or online learning and online tutorials. The major advantage to students is its easy access.

The education sector of Bangladesh has been suffering from many deficiencies including quality teachers, quality content and quality environment. So, at present great challenge faced by Bangladesh is to create a 'Knowledge based Society' and ensure that their citizens are equipped with knowledge and skill of Information & Communication Technology (ICT). There is potential that using ICT in the education sector, the costs can be brought down. It also improves the quality of education and imparts uniformity. If the country wants to enhance the concern over the significance and excellence of education then it is essential to expand educational opportunities to all, including most vulnerable group, like low income and less skilled people, girls and women, children out of school as well as illiterate youths and adults.