Bridging the World to the underprivileged schools of Bangladesh using ICT

With a population of over 131 million people and an Internet penetration rate of just 0.1 percent, the vast majority of people in Bangladesh are on the wrong side of the digital divide. Only a small fraction of the 15,000 schools in the country own computers, and many less can afford the high cost of Internet connectivity.

Cyber Schools Foundation is Non-Profit Organization aims to bring together the best ideas, opinions, and resources on education & community development issues - through the use of Information Communications Technologies (ICT) . To help respond to the huge and growing disparity between those with access to Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) and those without CSF has already set up Internet Learning Center (ILC) at three schools- UCEP Dhaka Technical School, Mirpur, Gojmohal Tannery High School, Hazaribag, and Banani Model School. CSF is in the process to set up more 4 ILCs within 2006. The target is for 50 schools or more over next two years. This program is designed to bring technology within reach of children who would otherwise be unable to access the Internet and to benefit from the learning opportunities it offers.

In addition to providing the necessary equipment, CSF also plans to enhance the capacity of local teachers to successfully use and integrate the new technologies in their classrooms. Teachers and students will be actively supported to participate in online collaborative projects with peers from other parts of the world. The focus will be on projects that provide opportunities for cultural exchange, as well as curriculum development and support. Students and teachers will be encouraged to select topics, such as child labor or pollution, that matter to them and their communities. In this way, the ILCs will provide an opportunity for students to share their ideas and make their voices heard, as well as to tap the wealth of existing information.