Evaluation of the UNCEF
Integrated Community Development Project
in the Chittagong Hill Tracts
Bangladesh.
Submitted by
NCG
Nordic Consulting Group A/S
Kirkevej 8
DK-2630 Taastrup
Denmark
April 2007
1 533576282. Kishor
Executive Summary :
The Unicef- supported Integrated Community Development Project in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) has two main components : Early learning
opportunities for children, and health, hygiene and nutrition education and
promotion for mothers and children- and, through them, their families. The
focus for these activities is in the centers that the project aimed to establish
in 2220 para/village communities that could comprise from 25 to 60 families.
It was also the intention that these para centers would become venues for a
wider range of activities, such as safe water points, sanitation facilities,
kitchen gardens, and other education or development initiatives.
In 1972, Unicef initiated its support to immunization activities the CHT as
part of its country programme and support to Bangladesh. From 1980 on
words, specific projects were implemented in collaboration with the special
Affairs Division of the Prime Minister’s Office, and later when the Ministry of
Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs (MCHTA) was formed, with this Ministry. In
1991, Unicef and the Government of Bangladesh jointly formulated the
Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP under the direct
supervision of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board (CHTDB), With
the responsible line ministry being the ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts
Affairs (MCHTA). Between 1997 and 2005, 2220 para centers were
constructed in 1839 paras in the three CHT districts.
An extension of ICDP has been planned for 2006-2010 with a proposed
plan of expansion to an additional 1280 paras. An evaluation of the 20012005 phase of the project was carried out from November 2006 to April
2007. The purpose and objectives wee to verify if the planned project results
were achieved and to what extent the rights-based approach to
progamming, including the addressing of gender issues, were incorporatedand, based on analyses of the design, implementation, monitoring and
management aspects (administrative and financial) of the entire project, to
present recommendations for improvement and for the planned expansion
of the project in the next phase (2006-2010).
The evaluation involved a quantitative survey (face-to face interviews based
on questionnaires) conducted during December 2006 to January 2007
among a representative sample of 289 para workers, 295 para center
management committees (PCMCs), and 149 household members together
with observation walks in 100 para centers. The focus was on the
functioning of the para centers, the commitment and performances of
PCMCs and Project officials, and the communities access to and use of
para centers. This comprehensive information was collected by a
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Bangladeshi consultancy (RTM) and through a corps of local interviewers.
the survey sample comprised para centers in all upazilas (small unions), all
ethnic groups and both remote and easily accessible paras/villages. Data
were entered into spreadsheets and analyzed by the Evaluation Team (ET).
Next, based on the results of data analyses, the ET selected well
functioning and less well functioning para centers in each Hill Districts. In
March 2007, the ET visited these para centers and also one para/village
without any para center in each district and conducted in depth interviews
with para workers, PCMCs, children and adult community members to
clarify a number of issues emerging from the quantitative survey. The visits
included observation walks in paras, calls on primary schools, health
centers and district hospitals. Focus group discussions with stakeholders
were conducted in each of the three Hill districts; an they included other
Donors, Regional and District Councils, Project Officials and groups of para
workers.
The ET used the five theme analytical framework : relevance of project
design, efficiency in performance, effectiveness in approach, impact of the
activities, an likely sustainability.
Relevance :
That the project was, and still is, needed there can be no doubt. All previous
situation analysis conducted in the Chittagong Hill Tracts concurred in their
descriptions of health problems. Among the indigenous communities-and
also among the Bengali settler communities-the reports showed a low
awareness related to safe water, sanitation, water borne infections, malaria
and other infectious diseases and consequently low immunization rates of
infants, children and pregnant women and high level of various infectious
diseases, and also high maternal mortality.
Previously, illiteracy rate was high. There was a low enrolment- and a high
dropout rate - primary schools. Moreover, there were serious gender
disparities in relation to girls’ access to education and women’s involvement
in decision making forums, Finally (and this should be seen in relation to the
insurgency in the CHT and government efforts to suppress it) thee were a
number of human rights issues that any development project should take
into account, even if not directly address.
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Efficiency :
The existing log frame defined three project objectives :
1.
2.
3.
Fully functioning of 2220 para centers and make it (sic)as a focal place
for all social development activities :
Part-time employment of 2220 and capacity building of over 3000
women in child survival, growth, development, protection and
participation ;
Achievement of sectoral goals of basic education, WES, EPI, diarrhea
and maternal health.
Key findings :
In relation to these objectives, the evaluation recorded a number of
significant achievements :
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The three Hill district are covered by functioning para centers, and
relatively few (about 5-10%) of the 2220 established centers were
currently closed ;
For the targeted families, the rate of pre-school attendance is high
(almost 100%) and this has led to a high rate of enrolment in primary
schools for those children benefiting from the early learning activities,
and the learning capacity of those children has obviously improved ;
All (approximately 95%) pregnant women, infants and children, in the
target area are immunised (Tatanus, BCG- Polio);
there is a high awareness in the community about the use of safe
water and about good sanitation practices ;
Access to safe water has significantly improved; However about 1/3 of
water points are not working and all households do not have access
to satisfactory sanitation, and the para centers have not become
demonstration centers for good practices;
Some degree of community involvement has occurred in the
establishment of the para centers, but the potentials of PCMCs are
not fully used;
A number of centers have become venues for the provision of other
sectoral services and for other community development activities :
There is evidence of increasing awareness about, and respect for,
women’s and children’s rights.
No gender disparities exist in access to education, and women are
equally involved in managing the para centers.
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Effectiveness :
With regard to the project’s strategy, the deployment of the para workers at
the very local level- this has clearly been successful. There are, however, a
renumber of financial and administrative matters that are adversely affecting
the efficiency of the project- in a broad use of the terms ‘value of money’.
The par workers, the crucial ‘front-line’ staff, are very poorly paid (previously
500 and now 1000 taka per month). Also, they are not being paid on time.
the consequence is that a number of them leave for other jobs.
The costs of the administrative and supervisory structures are comparatively
(and unjustifiably) high. A high proportion of funds are being used on
administration in the CHTDB. The ICDP staff of 166 are being paid more
than the total of 2220 para workers. Yet the subordinate supervisors, project
officers, are seriously limited in their movements. Many of them do not have
motorcycles; those that do have them have to pay for fuel and repairs out of
their own pockets. The consequence is that they are not able, or willing, to
carry out fully their field monitoring activities.
The ET argues that all the project’s administrative and supervisory tiers are
not necessary. Related to this, the monitoring of the project should be
seriously reviewed and aligned more purposefully into a proper project
management information system- one in which the data to be collected
depends on what is needed by the management groups at their different
levels. At the moment, too many checklists are being completed- and too
frequently. And it seems that little use is being made of this data.
The ET suggests that a much more effective monitoring and management
mechanism could be developed by using the ‘cluster’ meetings of para
workers and project officers - less as occasions for collecting data sheets
and more as opportunities for sharing experiences, learning lessons, and
identifying problems (and achievements) that should be followed up by visits
to the relevant para centers. This should help to make supervision more
focused, more constructive- and less expensive.
There are three respects in which the training components of the projects
are falling short. First, the ET finds that, over the last two-to-three years, the
training of both para workers and project officers is insufficient and
unsystematic. As of now, many para workers state that they lack knowledge
about health issues, nutrition and wider community development factors.
The ET notes that new basic training guidelines for para workers are
prepared that should in the near future meet their requirements. The training
manual covers relevant issues and the training is base on efficient learning
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methods. The planned training of para workers requires a sufficient number
of skilled trainers. The ET was not informed about plans for additional
training of trainers and recommends that their training capacity should be
assessed and, if necessary, undated prior to implementation of the revised
training programme for para workers. Second, a significant proportion of
project officers have not received the full orientation training package, and
no information exists on any improvements.
Third, the training of the para center managing committees (PCMCs) is
sketchy and seeming haphazard. The ET suggests that the orientation
programme for PCMCs should be more fully developed; it should comprise
a wider range of topics, including committee work, community mobilization,
development needs assessment, and the formulation of community action
plants.
It seems that the potential role of the PCMCs in promoting development for
their communities is not being sufficiently appreciated or fostered. As of
now, if a comparison is made with committees involved in the management
of schools, the PCMCs are operating more lke parent/Teacher associations
rather than school governing bodies. Despite their name, they are focused
mainly on supporting the work of the para workers- by ensuring that children
attend the pre-school activities or by looking after the maintenance of the
centers.
One effect of empowering the PCMCs might be to encourage more attention
on the men and the youth of the target communities. Men an youth could,
for example, be involved in some of the courtyard meetings; where wider
issues affecting their communities could be debated.
Some elements of a rights- based approach is evident in the teaching of the
para workers : there are references in training materials ; discussion of
rights issues occur in cluster and courtyard meetings the project is
promoting advocacy on both registration. Gender issues are raised in
courtyard and cluster meetings. However, the project is not making the most
of opportunities for addressing the gaps in the capacity of right holders
(communities) to claim their rights or of duty bearers to fulfill their
obligations, including crimination of gender disparities at all levels- and the
inclusion of women in decision making bodies.
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Impact :
Children’s access to education has certainly improved in the CHT. Literacy
rates have risen (among women aged 15-24 years from below 50% in 2000
to above 60% in 2006). Women and girls do have better access to early
learning and health programmes. Awareness of health matters has been
raised. Marked improvements in hygiene practices can be seen.
Immunization rates have improved (e.g. the DPT coverage from below 66%
in 2000 to about 90% of all two year-olds in 2006). The rate of infectious
diseases has declined, and the knowledge about adequate treatment of e.g.
diarrhea has increased.
In relation to the educational benefits, all the primary school teachers
interviewed by the ET stated that those pupils that had attended the preschools exhibited a greater readiness for learning : having some basic
literacy and numeracy skills- and manifesting more enquiring attitudes.
The para centers have not really become demonstration centers in the way
envisaged in the project design. The ET found few of the para centers
visited have ‘direct’ access to water points or sealed latrines. And some
paras without para centers have better functioning water and sanitation
facilities.
There is clear evidence that the communities do appreciate the role being
played by the para workers-especially the ‘head-start’ opportunities being
offered to their children. But the broader community development of
potential of the centers is not being realized. For this to happen, there would
need to be better coordination with other agencies operating in CHT. For
example, UNDP is also setting up committees for community development
at the para level. Here is an obvious case for coordination : the UNICEF
project could work with the committees created by the UNDP project- and
the UNDP project could utilise the facilities of the para centers.
Sustainability :
The work of the project is obviously need; it is clearly appreciated- and there
is general wish that the project should be extended.
However, the future of the project is somewhat clouded by the wrangling
between the CHT Development Board and the CHT Regional Council. The
ET argues that a stronger involvement of the District Councils could ensure
continuing support in relevant service delivery departments-and better
coordination to other development projects in the Hill Tracts. There would
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be a concomitant and significant capacity building need and a translocation
of staff between CHTDB and the Hill District Councils.
The strengthening of the competency and confidence of the PCMCs would
be another important factor in building a sense of ownership in the
communities and so ensuring sustainability.
Closer collaboration with other donor-supported social and economic
development projects could also contribute to ensuring sustainability.
One unplanned effect of the UNICEF project is that it has demonstrated a
potential for community organisation- and this can be tapped into by
projects being promoted by other development agencies. In a more general
sense, the ICDP- by offering its opportunities and building the confidence of
the beneficiary communities- must also be challenging the ethnic
stigmatization that the peoples of CHT have been exposed to. And, for the
indigenous peoples, the project must be changing the marginalization mindsets.
Conclusions :
The designers of the project adopted a generic name- Integrated community
Development project- and defined broad objectives :
*
*
Contribute to the realization of the rights of children and women in
CHT through the achievement of all sectoral goals and objectives ;
Strengthen local capacity and facilitate coordinated implementation of
GOB-Unicef sectoral programmes in CHT.
However, the ET argues that the project has not lived up to its name. It also
argues that the project should not try to do so in any future phase. The
project has focused on early learning and maternal health; it has not
adopted a more broad-based community development and livelihoods
enhancement orientation.
The ET finds that the project has been remarkably successful in promoting
pre-primary education and in raising the awareness of children and women,
and there by the entire families, about health and hygiene matters.
There would be serious risks involved in attempting to widen the project’s
scope-risks associated with capacity shortfalls and possible political
entanglements over controversial development issues that would be beyond
the mandate of such a donor- supported project.
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In view of the above, the ET recommends that the project managers (staff of
both the Chittagong Hill Tracts Development Board and UNICEF) should
review the existing log frame as the key design tool of the project, in order to
share views about the project’s objectives and scope- and to refine it as a
useful tool for monitoring progress against defined outcomes and indicators.
Main Recommendations :
1.
Expansion of the project to an additional 1280 paras should be
postponed until full training of the present para workers, PCMC members
and project officers is accomplished. This includes an updating of training of
trainers.
2.
The project’s relatively narrow scope should be maintained (early
learning, maternal and child health and awareness). But para centers
should serve as focal points for other community development projects.
Income generation projects should be implemented and coordinated by
other actors and donor partners.
Concerning management:
3.
UNICEF and GOB should start the process of transferring the
administration of the project to the Hill District Councils under the CHT
Regional Council-enabling the project to the more strongly linked to
other public services provided by the councils; making the project in
line with the Peace accord signed in 1997; bringing it in line with other
donor supported projects that are administered by the councils.
4.
UNICEF should reflect on its role in relation to the management of the
project, restricting it to process monitoring and evaluation activities.
All para level projects (ICDP and other donor supported community
development projects). should be managed by one PCMC-given that
the capacity of the PCMCs is increased.
5.
Concerning supervision and training :
6.
Quarterly cluster meetings should be held to enable project officers
and deputy programme coordinators to engage more effectively in the
evaluation of training needs and to identify those para centers (Para
workers) that need follow up advice and support.
7.
The para workers should be granted full training courses at their
recruitment; refresher courses should be implemented as part of
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8.
9.
cluster meetings and coordinated by the upazila coordination
committees.
PCMCs training should be developed more fully and in cooperation
with other donors.
Cluster meetings for PCMCs should be arranged by the upazila
coordination councils twice a year.
Concerning HR obligations :
10. In recognition of the need to strengthen the rights-based approach of
the project, at the programme level, UNICEF should carry out monitoring
and analysis of the extent to which GOB institutions uphold the principles
and recommended practices of the key UN conventions, CEDAW and CRC
;
11. At the project level, there should be a reformulation of the objectives,
outcomes and indicators in order to include rights issues more specificallyincluding identification of the capacity of right holders to claim and of duty
bearers to fulfill the social rights of the communities 9right to health
services, to clean water, to sanitation, to education, to communication and
to protection) ; separate sessions on HR and gender issues should be
included in training for relevant staff.
12. An analysis of the structural causes of then on-realisation of children’s
and women’s rights should be made, in order to identify disparities and
discrimination in law, policy or socio-economic environment impeding
enjoyment of rights.
13. An assessment of obligations should be carried out with a view to
determining the capacity of duty bearers to fulfill their obligations
(responsibility, authority, data, and resources).
14. The project’s objectives and indicators should be refined to include
gender and rights issues in more detail in order to be able to monitor and
evaluate processes as well as outcomes.
15. The project should encourage POs and para workers to include
(practical, down to earth) rights issues for discussions at cluster meetings
and courtyard meetings with a view to empower para members.
Furthermore, most of the para workers (93%) reported that their lives had
positively changed since they had been employed in the centers. Increased
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knowledge regarding education, cleanliness, sanitation and vaccination
were listed as positive experiences.
5.1.9 Observations during field visits :
The ET found that para workers were highly motivated. The majority of para
centers were kept tidy. Teaching material and information to the community
was clearly presented in the centers. Observations of pre-school teaching
and interviews of children revealed then being highly motivated, this will be
further elaborated.
Similar to the findings of the quantitative survey, PCMCs and community
members expressed great satisfaction with the para workers and found that
the centers served as focal points for various activities. However, they also
found that more community based activities might be integrated. This will be
further elaborated.
At the focus group discussion, ten different para workers expressed the
view that increased community awareness and cohesiveness were the
major strengths of the project and that little training on nutrition,
immunization, low attendance at courtyard meetings and lack of knowledge
on how to conduct cluster meetings presented serious weakness as to the
efficient functioning of the programme.
5.1.10 Conclusions and recommendations :
Most para centers are well functioning. Para workers are highly motivated;
they are highly appreciated by the community, and they fulfill their duties
concerning pre-school activities, health education and awareness of safe
water and sanitation. However, at least 10% of para centers are not
functioning due to absence of para workers. Low salary, relatively high
workload, insufficient basic and refresher training, and low commitment and
management skills of PCMCs may altogether explain these terminations.
It seems that the training of para workers has been quite effective in
preparing them for running the centers and, in particular, for successfully
conducting the pre-school sessions. However, during the previous 2-3 years
the basic training of new para workers and opportunities for refresher
courses have been insufficient. With regard to training, 76 para workers n
Rangamati district, 531 para workers n Bandarban, and 776 para workers in
Khagrachari (about 2/3 of all para workers) had received training during the
year on early childhood Development. A much lower percentage had
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received refresher training in health related and human rights issues, and a
high percentage of para workers employed during the previous 2-3years
had not received the full basic training.
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An Evaluation of UNICEF-Assisted
Integrated Community Development
Programme for the Chittagong
Hill Tracts- 1985-95
Md. Abdul Quddus
Tofail Ahmed
Md. Easin Ali
Sponsoring Agency :
Implementing Agency
Chittagong Hill Tracts Development
Board (CHTDB), Rangamati.
Bangladesh Academy for Rural
Development (BARD)
Kolbarl, Comilla.
13 533576282. Kishor
CHAPTER-4
Conclusion and Recommendations
Bainyling changes in a highly traditional society through intervention
from outside is a stupendous task. The situation in the CHT regions is more
difficult than any other normal traditional rural society of Bangladesh.
Because the comment action, language, culture, tradition etc. of the change
agents are distinctly different from the target population of tribal men and
women. Besides, the communal violence, political unrest and armed
insurgency made the situation worse. In spite of all these hurdles, the
project has been able to make inroads in bringing positive changes in the
lives and living of the rural tribal families of the CHT.
The following changes or impacts are distinctly visible in the
survey area :
1. The beneficiaries (respective of male, female and youth) in calculated
among themselves a regular saving habit in spite of all the hardships of
poverty which is rare among the rural tribal people.
2. Organizing socio-economic organization and keeping membership for
long time in one organisation is not at all common in the tribal culture.
Because many of them do not live in one place permanently. They move
from one place to another with their shifting cultivating (Jhoom). This
project has shown a remarkable success to fix them in one place for
long period and sowed the seed of a new society in the CHT.
3. The maternal, Child and infant mortally has reduced in a tremendous
proportion.
4. Awareness about the prevention of discuses like night blindness. worm
infestation has increased and use of iodized salt increase compared to
other areas of the country.
5. Use of safe drinking water is still lagging behind because of the nonavailability and lack of repair facilities of STW/Ring well in many places.
6. The general literacy and the rate of school going children have also
increased compared to non-project area.
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7. Child delivery is invariably done by trained TBA. Although some local
rituals are still observed during pre and post natal care.
8. There is a great demand for loan and skill training people’s loan
repayment behavior is good. Loan utilization is also seems to be
satisfactory.
9. The coverage of water scaled and hygienic latrine has also increased
compared to the average situation of the respective hill districts.
Situation analysis and recommendations :
1. The beneficiaries at the grassroots level are determined to carry out the
continue the project. The Headman and other leaders at the mouza
level are also of the opinion that the project should continue.
2. The project should take necessary steps to utilize the savings
accumulated by the beneficiaries and also to increase total credit
amount in absolute and relative term.
3. A time bound experiment may be designed to make the project selfsustaining at the mouza level. The example and experiences of ASA
(Association of social Advancement) and “Grameen Bank” model of
investment and credit system. may be examined in this respect. BARD’s
(Bangladesh Academy for Rural Development) experiences of CVDP
(Comprehensive Village Development Programme). SFDP (Small
farmers and landless labourers Development Project) and VCDP
(Village child Development Project) may also be of great help because
without making the project self-sustaining or at last making the
beneficiaries able to share part of the porject expenses continuation can
not be suggested. The rescarch team is very much optimistic about the
project expenses continuation can not be suggested. The research team
is very much opllmlstic about the prospect of sustainability of the project
if proper design is made for the nest phase of the project.
4. To make the project sustainable empowerment at the PIC (mouza) level
needs special attention. so that gradually a new organisation at mouza
level may emerge in take up responsibility of the project. PIC may also
gradually emerge as a comprehensive local level planning unit at the
mouza level.
5. More investment should be made in skill development which should be
backed by credit and vigorous monitoring and supervision.
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6. The involvement of thana level official, union level extension agents of
various government departments, Union parishad leaders need to be
sories out. the membership in the PIC may be extended to UP members
and government extension agents at the mouza.
7. Mechanism should be developed to channed government services and
supplies to the pre-cooperative groups and project personnel at the
mouza level which may act as brokers between the government agency
and the group.
8. Rallies and workshop should be held at PIC and PMC levels at regular
intervals.
9. Orientation should be arranged for District, Thana and Union level
government functionaries on the various activities of the project.
10. Orientation is also needed for PIC specially Headman and UP chairman
and members of the project area.
11. Refreshers training is needed for group secretaries, Chairpersons,
TBAs. CHWs at regular intervals.
Notes :
1. For Grameen Bank experience see Rahman (1986) and for ASA
experiment see Kayemuddin (1992).
2. For the CVDP experience of BARD see Ahmed (1993) for the SFDP
model see bari (1993) and for the VCDP experience see Ahmed, Ralman
and Ali (1984).
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Assessment of the Integrated Community Development
Project in the Hill Districts
Mr. Akhtar Hussain Khan
Mr. M. Khairul Kabir
Mr. A.K. Sharifullah
Mr. Kamrul Ahsan
Mr. Shafiqul Islam
Begum Nasima Akhter
Bangladesh Academy for Rural
Development (BARD)
Kolbarl, Comilla.
September 1999
17 533576282. Kishor
United Nations Children
Fund (UNICEF)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
September 1999
Chapter- V
5.
Conclusion and Recommendations :
5.1
Conclusion :
The concept of Para centre of ICD project was well appreciated by all
levels of people i.c., from grass root level community /beneficiaries to
chairman of the regional hill district council. During visit of para
centers it was surprisingly observed hat even most of the illiterate
para community realised the necessity and importance of preschooling activities of para centre as well as motivational activities of
para workers. By this time some of the para community have been
highly, motivated regarding primary health care and sanitation which
seems great achievement of ICDP.
For proper functioning of the para centres it need to give more
attention by the project designer as well as project implementers. The
site selection of many of the para centers and para workers were not
done properly which might need improvement in achieving the project
objectives. The supply of 28 picces of C.I sheet for para centre was
not enough and need to include some other essential materials. The
quantity of education materials in the para centres was found
insufficient, specially the books and extremely necessary to supply
required number of books. The project authority should give more
emphasis on these matters for achieving the project objectives
properly.
Monitoring and supervision are the two most important management
aspects of any project. which is equally applicable to ICDP. From PD
to PO, all levels of project personal are suppose to monitor and
supervise the para centres, para workers as well as para
community/beneficiaries for achieving desired objectives. But present
level of supervision was not up to the mark and need to improve
supervision and monitoring aspect in most of cases. For
successfulness of the project these two aspects should bring under
consideration by proper authority. It also needs to supply required
transport facilities at the thana level with further improvement of other
related matter, i.c. fuel an maintenance cost of transport.
The current activities and performance of ICDP with concurrent
opinion of different focus groups, public representatives, officials,
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project personnel as well as observation of valuation team suggested
to extent the project period at least for further 5 (five) years.
5.2
Recommendations :
The following recommendations are put forwarded for active
consideration by the project authority and other concerned personnel,
policy planner for better functioning of the project activity.
Functioning of para centers :
1.
Some of the para centres were found to established at the periphery
of the para community creating problems for children access to the
para centre. so, due attention to be given in establish the para centres
at the central part of the local community for easy access of children
to the centre.
2.
Water leakage were found in all the para centres which caused wet
and dampening of the floor of the centre and created unsuitable
condition for education in several cases. In the present context it
could easily be solved by supplying 24 pices of C.I. sheets and the 4
picces of ‘toa’ instead of supplying 28 picces of C.I. sheets without
increase in cost.
3.
The physical construction of the para centre was found very weak and
temporary in most of the situation. It is also not possible for the local
community at present to improve it further for their poor economic
condition. So, it will be better to supply some wood for roof
construction and few strong poles (at least 4) for each of the para
centres.
4.
Only two books were supplied in each of the para centres from the
project. During physical observation of the para centre it was found
that para workers were facing serious problem to teach properly
mainly due to non-availability of sufficient books. The book (six in
one) was also not available in the local market. Thus, it extremely felt
necessary to supply sufficient number of books (as least 10 in each
centre) for proper learning of the children.
5.
There is a chronic problem of drinking water scarcity in the remote hill
areas. It needs to supply at least one Tube well or Ring well to each
of the para centre for ensuring pure drinking water to the minor
children. Sanitary latrine should also be supplied/installed near the
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para centre so that the children can use the latrine, which will
ultimately motivate the children to establish hygienic sanitary latrine to
their residence.
Functioning of para workers :
1.
Para workers in several cases were found not suitable to run preschooling activities properly. So, para worker selection criteria should
need to fix at S.S.C level instead of class VIII to maintain minimum
quality level.
2.
Para workers in several case were found not well aware of their
motivational activities. It needs to organize regular training and
refresher courses at regular interval. In this regard initiative may be
taken to organize training courses for them in some reputed training
centres/institutes of the country.
3.
Besides regular pre-schooling function, para workers have also to
perform social motivational works, which was also very important. But
the monthly honoorarium was found very poor compared to their
delivery of service. For better functioning in future it needs to increase
their monthly honorarium to at least Tk. 1000.00 per month. All the
concerned people at different levels raised this issue and they
recommended it strongly.
Overall project management :
1.
Proper monitoring of field activity by the project officials depends on
appropriate backup support. In this regard appropriate transport
facilities to be ensured for the Thana and field project officials (DPC
and PO) with necessary logistic support (POI and maintenance fund).
Timely processing of TA/DA allowances for the field officials also to
be ensured.
2.
Deputy project Director at the head office has to perform a lot of data
processing and reporting function. In this regard a DPD post may be
upgraded as Additional Project Director with rearrangement of other
two DPD post as DPD (Planning and Monitoring) and DPD (reporting
and Monitoring) and they should be posted at the head office. District
project office to be headed and co-ordinated by the Project
Coordinator.
20 533576282. Kishor
3.
The project is gradually expanding its area of operation through
establishment of new para centre. But number of PO post is not
increasing in most of the eases they have to cover more than 30 para
centres. But considering the communication facilities it is very difficult
for their part to monitor all the para centres of their jurisdiction. In this
regard the post of PO need to be increased with allotted of maximum
5 mouzas/25 para centres for each PO as their area of operation for
efficient field supervision.
4.
The Project Director need to given autonomy in day to day operation
of the project activities. He also should be given a certain level of
financial power.
Other Issues :
1.
The actual para centre activity started for about a year ago. But within
this short period it able to create some remarkable impact to the local
community specially in pre-schooling of children in remote areas of
the hill region. In this regard it is very much essential to expand the
project period at least for another 5 years after the year 2000 for
actual project implementation.
2.
It is also necessary to involve the Local Council Officials in the project
implementation setup after the year 2000 for future sustainability of
the project activities.
###
21 533576282. Kishor
MID-TERM REVIEW 2003
Bangladesh
9 October 2003
Country Programme of Cooperation
2001-2005
22 533576282. Kishor
5.4
Integrated Community Development Project For CHT areas :
5.4.1 Situation analysis :
The Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region consists of three districts
namely, Bandarban, Rangamati and Khagrachari with a total area of
13294 square kilometers and total population of over 1.4 million. The
hilly topography and presence of 13 different tribal group make the
Hill Tracts different in many way from the rest of the country. The
population of this region is low compared to other areas of
Bangladesh. The people of this region live in clusters but spread over
the shale area. As a result, provision of public services is difficult and
thus inadequate. So, considering the topography, variation among
tribal groups, their language and culture, and lack of services, a para
(community)-based development approach was tested and introduced
in CHT in 1996. Through Integrated community Development Project
(ICDP), community centers called ‘Para Center’ were established in
2,220 paras (village) during the previous country programme cycle,
each serving approximately 25-35 families. The stratey of establishing
and supporting para centers as a unique service delivery mechanism
was adopted (due to resources constraints of the sectoral Ministries)
to provide services in inaccessible areas. The objective was to ensure
provision of basic services at the community level, facilitate
community participation, develop women’s skills and value and create
employment opportunities by establishing sectoral linkages.
At the end of 1999, an evaluation of ICDP was caried out by a leading
public-sector research and training agency. The evaluation concluded
that the project had contributed significantly to increasing the
awareness of the community in health and nutrition (i.e. an increase
from 66.9% to 94% in the awareness of iodized salt ; and 15%
increase in the adoption of family planning measures). the evaluation
also found that the enrolment and attendance rates of young children
in para centers were satisfactory, since the para centers have
produced positive impact on education, health, Nutrition and
environmental sanitation, the project was extended for another five 5
years (2001-2005(.
The CHT area has enormous potentials for development. Because of
the difficult terrain, conflict and inaccessibility, widespread
development has not taken place in the area. With the signing of
peace accord in December, 1997, a new era has been started and
23 533576282. Kishor
special attention of government, donors and NGOs was received for
the development of the region.
After the CHT peace accord the Regional Councils (RC) (Local
government) have been formed. At the same time Hill District
Councils (developmental body) are also functioning with the
participation of local leaders under which most of the sectoral
activities are being implemented.
Several NGOs are now working in the area. The government has
increased its budgetary allocation. The participation and co-ordination
between government and local councils also improved. Peoples/
mass participation in development activities increased significantly.
Despite this project intervention and other government and nongovernmental interventions still large majority of population lives
outside the reach of existing facilities. Malaria is one of the major
discuses in this area. though some improvement has been observed
in both morbidity and mortality due to falciparum malaria especially
after the starting the role back malaria programme by WHO.
Student enrolment in the primary schools in these areas is still less
than national average (82%) but due to inaccessibility drop out rate is
higher. Many children are out of school due to language barrier, lack
of awareness and poverty. Number of primary schools in
proportionate to total population are satisfactory but due to geophysical characteristics, schools are not easily accessible by young
children (beginners). As a result, though a good number of children
get admitted, the attendance rate is very low.
Due to peculiar hydrological characteristics in this region (stony layer)
tube wells are not feasible in most of the areas. As a result, about 38% of
total population has no access to safe drinking water. They take water from
spring, river, earthen well, lake and canal. Hygienic sanitation system is still
not widely available in CHTs, but the situation is gradually improving.
The following table illustrates improvement in selected social
development indicators in the three hill districts :
Indicators
24 533576282. Kishor
Rangamat Khagrachari Bandarban
i
200 200 2000 200 200 2003
0
3
3
0
Vit-A coverage (%)
Measles vaccines coverage
(%)
TT coverage (%)
ORT use rate (%)
Access to safe drinking
water (%)
Sanitary Latrines (%)
Primary
school
enrolment (%)
net Boy
s
Girl
s
Marriage registration (%)
Socio-eco
(roof/brick-tin)
condition
91.
0
70.
4
64.
0
16.
0
65.
0
71.
3
79.
8
75.
2
39.
6
33.
0
98.
1
75.
4
74.
4
15.
2
49.
0
79.
7
82.
4
83.
4
73.
1
-
87.0
68.4
68.0
32.0
73.0
69.5
81.4
84.4
59.0
37.0
98.
2
85.
0
87.
3
35.
5
82.
7
91.
8
84.
3
87.
7
77.
7
-
88.
5
69.
4
72.
2
20.
0
69.
0
25.
4
78.
2
71.
6
60.
0
20.
0
87.0
78.9
75.2
45.7
64.8
37.4
75.3
76.9
87.1
-
Source : Progotir Pathey, BBS 2000 & 2003 (Preliminary).
After coming into power, the present government has attached priority to the
development of leadership and incresed people’s participation in the
development activities in CHTs. The government has assigned a local MP
as the Chairman of CHTDB and reconstituted the three Hill Districts
Councils. This was based on an assessment of development trends in
CHTs. A number of programmes through block allocation for CHTs have
been taken up to supplement the efforts made in different sectors. It has
also adopt an integrating theme for mainstreaming planning process
through Ministry of CHTA by preparing a master plan for CHTs. Several
development partners have started their activities in CHTs. As such, UNDP
is preparing to launch a poverty alleviation programme through local
government institutions and NGOs. It has set up a permanent office in
Rangamati.
5.4.2 Objectives
Objective : Full functioning of 2220 para centers and make those as focal
place for all social development activities.
25 533576282. Kishor
Pre-school : All para centers (except closed 235) are now functioning as
preschool. This is one of the main activities of the para center, which is
visible to the community. Para centers are now equipped with necessary
play and learning materials. The pre-school package has been revised and
updated. In 2002, ECD component has been introduced which has given
added dimension. Gradually ECD component will be expanded in all para
centers.
Multi-grade learning center : Use of para center as multi-grade learning
center could not be achieved so far due to non-availability of appropriate
package as well as other necessary requirements. However, informally in
many para centers where primary school is far away, the para worker is
managing this center as multi-grade learning center.
Immunization center : At present, at least in 10% para centers, routine EPI
sessions takes place. these EPI centers cover children of adjacent para
centers. During NID and SNID all para workers and para centers are
involved. This involvement has significantly improved the immunization
coverage in CHTs.
Demonstration center for WES facilities : In selective para centers (300
para centers in 9 Upazila) initiatives have been taken to establish WES
facilities in para centers. The selection of Upazila and para center done
according to set criteria of DFID funded ESHEWSRA project. At the same
time community has been involved to prepare community action plan to
identify their needs and taking necessary actions. A massive awareness
campaign on hygiene awareness has also been implemented.
Demonstration center for vegetable gardening : Initially this objective
was not fully successful due to lack of knowledge of project officials.
However, after the involvement of local agriculture extension department,
significant improvement has been observed in selected para centers.
Depot for various health, education and other supplies : All para
workers are depot holders of vitamin-A capsule for supplementation to
lactating mothers. In selective para centers, they act as a depot holder of
anti-malarial drugs and ORS. However, due to lack of provision in a protocol
for para workers to use ARI drugs, though a large number of them are
trained on clinical case management of ARI. All para centers are equipped
with different learning materials and act as resource and information display
center of the respective para.
26 533576282. Kishor
Objective- 2 : Capacity building of over 3000 women on child survival,
growth, development protection and participation:
During last two and half years, over 3000 para workers received 25 days
basic training on education, maternal health, nutrition, family planning,
sanitation and kitchen/home gardening. Also, 2220 para workers have
received 5-days refresher’s training on health and education, 3 days training
on facts for life, 2 days training on hygiene awareness and preparation of
WES community action plan. In addition, 370 PWs were provided skill
training on different trade from a local NGO and started income generating
activities and contributing to family as additional income, the ‘Gender
development’ and ‘CRC’ have been included in the basic and refreshers’
training package, Special need based training provided to 800 weak para
workers to improve their professional knowledge and skills priority was
given to establish para centers in relatively un-served areas and recruit
women para workers from remote community. gender issue was critical
element during the project
staff requirement. However though the
recruitment of women para worker was over 90% the management
committees (approximately 10,000) were briefed on their roles and
responsibilities to make para center function more sustainable. BRDB is
providing micro credit facilities 5655 families in 326 para centers.
5.4.3 Strategies
1.
Extending services to lowest level- The present project is covering 5560% of the total rural areas in CHTs. the original target (1996-2000) was
4103 para centers in whole CHT area. Due to resource constraints the
target have been reduced to 2220 ministry of CHT Affairs and UNICEF may
pursue with other donors to increase the number of PCs.
2.
Promoting women development through capacity building,
employment opportunities and developing skills- More than 3000 young,
educated women received basic training on various issues as para worker.
Other training packages received by the PWs are FFL issues, WES-PRA/
Community action plan, Nutrition, ECD etc. Moreover 370 PWs received
skill development training on different trade for additional income
generation.
3.
Involving NGOs for income generation (IG)- BRDB already has
involved and provided small credits to PWs and group members of the para
area for income generations. As limited numbers of NGOs are working in
CHT with small working areas and population, the strategy did not work at
27 533576282. Kishor
the beginning. However, with the changed situation the strategy can be
further developed.
4.
Coordination and partnership with other donors : After the ‘CHT
peace Accord”, NGOs have extended their programme in CHTs areas. All
UN agencies and donor communities streamlined donor support to CHTs.
Now partnership with WFP is going to be established through introducing
Biscuit Feeding Programme in para centers. UNDP has also initiated
functioning by opening a regional office recently in Rangamati. UNDP will
launch poverty alleviation programme through community empowerment at
para level and capacity building of local government institutions. Initiatives
have been taken to coordinate different programme activities at different
levels in 2 selective Upazilas. NGOs like CARE, BRAC, ASA, PROSHIKA,
Green Hills, IDF and other local NGOs are operating in the CHTs. Few
NGOs have already been started to share the Para center as service
delivery point for para people.
5.
Cost Sharing- GOB/CHT affairs ministry is already sharing the
recurring cost of the para centers as per provision of PP (20% increase
annually). There is a need to mobilize local government institutions for their
participation in the process.
5.4.4 Lessons Learned/innovations :
The para center (PC) has become an unique outlet and mechanism of
equity-based distribution of basic services through an integrated approach.
All sectoral programmes have to converge and deliver their services could
use the PC. the community people considered the para centers (PCs) and
para workers (PWs) as their valuable assets. A community support system
with of mutual understanding and helping attitude through the community
mobilization by PWs has been achieved.
Para worker is the best human resource and change agent in the para and
recognized source of entrance to inaccessible areas with sectoral services.
Para workers successfully motivated families to use sanitary latrines and
personal hygienic practices and behavior. Para center is a breakthrough for
children of CHT to prepare them for primary school (expecially for the tribal
children) and unique approach in CHT for encouraging local participation.
The quality of functioning of para center greatly depends on the individual
performance of the para worker. No remarkable changes of low performing
para workers observed following repeated visits of supervisory officials.
28 533576282. Kishor
However, Children are more active and enthusiastic where ECD project
interventions are being implemented.
The existing mechanism of Upazila co-ordination committee (UCC) was
found to be working very well and an effective forum under the leadership of
the UNO for co-ordination and converging services by different sectors at
para centers.
5.4.5 Financial analysis :
The financial allocation of this project was fully met by the government.
However, the committed financial support from UNICEF has significantly
reduced in last year (US$) 300000 available against committed US$
350,000). This downward trend of fund allocation from UNICEF is also
continuing in current year. Committed financial support from UNICEF’s other
sectoral project has also been reduced significantly. This project is
supported from UNICEF regular budget. As such, it is expected that
UNICEF will take necessary actions so that fund can be arranged from other
resources for this project to support most deprived and marginalized
population of the country.
Table 1 : Status of Financial Utilization for 2001, 2002 and 2003
focusing MPO allocation
Source
GOB
Unicef
MPO Allocation
2001 2002 2003
400
350
200
2001
%
394.
5
98.6
Expenditure
2002
%
295.
2
84.4
2003
*
135
%
62.5
Total =
* Expenditure as of August 2003
5.4.6 Conclusions/ Recommendations :
Honorarium of the PWs has been the most important issue at all levels. the
para workers are now getting only 500.00 taka per month as honorarium.
this amount was fixed in 1996. They are also shouldering additional
responsibility compared to their initial period. Due to low incentive
dropout/turnover rate of trained and skilled para workers is also very high.
Both the community and providers of sectoral departments emphasized on
the need to increase the honorarium. An effort may be taken with the donor
agencies to increase the honorarium of para workers.
29 533576282. Kishor
Several UN agencies, more importantly UNDP, are now active in CHTs.
Efforts should be made to build an effective coordination mechanism with
different donors, so that support to Children and women streamlined in an
effective manner.
A package of integrated services through para centers by PWs needs to be
provided. However, Para workers workload also needs to look from gender
perspective. Effort to be taken by Ministry of A CHT Affairs for continuation
(institutionalization) of para worker’s functions.
GOB has already started sharing the recurring cost of the para Centers.
Further mobilization of the local government councils and other-institutions
should be pursued to explore their possible contribution to share
responsibilities and costs when the project period is over.
Currently 235 para centers are non-function in 3 districts of CHTs due to
various reasons (migration, marriage, poor performance etc). This closure
or huge number of para centers deprived many children and who men to
have some basic services from para centers. Efforts should be taken
immediately to start functioning of closed 235 para centers. These closed
para centers can be relocated in the same Mouza/Union whith the consent
or Upazila Coordination Committee (UCC) District Coordination Committee
(DCC).
Currently the project is covering only 55-60% of the total rural areas of
CHTs. CHTs Affairs Ministry and UNICEF may pursue with other donors,
local government councils to increase the number of para Centers to reach
to more remote areas/groups.
The construction of para center is in most cases is very weak. Sometimes
these centers are not even child friendly especially due to lack of WES
(Water and Environmental Sanitation) facilities. Conscious effort needed to
improve the physical structure of para centers and ensure availability of
WES facilities at para centers for small children.
The project also needs to strengthen its focus to improve the care seeking
and services for control of Malaria and ARI, in co-ordination with the
Department of Health.
30 533576282. Kishor
Formative Evaluation study of school readiness
Programme in Chittagong Hill Tracts Districts
Final Report
Mitra and Associates
2/17 Iqbal Road, Mohammadpur
Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.
31 533576282. Kishor
Executive summary
1.
Introduction :
The Formative Evaluation of the school readiness programme in the
Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) districts was carried out to assess how the
programme is being implemented, employing its strategies and using the
supports/assistance provided to it, to achieve its stated goals. Fata for the
assessment were collected through classroom observations at the sampled
para-centres and through in-depth interviews with the respondents drawn as
samples from among people involved in the pre-school component of the
ICDP.
1.1
A brief description of school readiness programme :
Chittagong Hill Tract Development Board (CHTDB) with financial
support from UNICEF has been implementing the Integrated Community
Development Project (ICDP) since 1996. The para centre covering on an
average 30 families is the main service delivery outlet of ICDP. A para
kendro (centre) is run by a para worker (PW) a locally recruited part time
worker with a minimum of grade VIII academic qualification. More than 95%
of PWs are women. the job description of the PW includes conducting a two
hour pre-school six days a week and a wide range of community activities
including promotion of immunization of children, ensuring that each house
has a sanitary latrine, every family is able to manage diarrhea and ARI, and
educating mothers on breastfeeding, consumption of iodized salt and child
nutrition among others.
A para kendro has a management committee to guide and oversee its
activities. The committee consists of members drawn from people resident
in the concerned para. For every 10 para kendros, thee is an organizer to
supervise and monitor the para workers’ activities. Besides the organizers,
ICDP has 14 trainers to impart basic/refresher training to para workers on
pre-school teaching at the para kendro.
School readiness (Pre-school) is one of the main components of
ICDP. The objective of pre-school is to expose “Children of 3-6 years age
group ... to participate in learning activities appropriate for them”. It is
expected that through this exposure children will acquire basic
32 533576282. Kishor
competencies that would help them cope with the new environment better
when they graduate to primary schools.
The present modified phase of pre-school component introduced in
2003 covers 885 para kendros in 9 upazilas of the three CHT districts,
Rangamati, Bandarban and Khagrachari. It follows an earlier attempt to run
a non-year course covering 2220 para kendros aimed at achieving the
defined objectives using the Multiple ways of Teaching and learning
(MWTL) method and materials. It is expected that through the modified preschool system it would be possible to overcome some of the limitations
experienced in the application of the earlier initiative for achieving learner
achievements/competencies by the children.
As per modified package, three types of lessons are taught in preschool, one type for 3-5 years old children, one type for 5-6 years old
children, and any type for all children regardless of their age. The lessons
taught for all children and those for children in a specific age group are
listed below.
For all children :
*
Rhymes
*
Songs.
3-4 years old children :
* Pre-reading : Sound practice (phoneme), picture reading, assembling
different parts of a picture, playing with various materials.
* Pre-writing : Drawing as one likes, drawing pattens.
* Pre-math : Idea on (a) right & left, (b) small & big, (c) inside & outside, (d)
up & down, (e) near & far, (f) front & back, (g) middle, (h) long & short, (i)
fat & thin, (j) difference with others.
5-6 years old children :
* Bangla letter writing & reading : Drawing as one likes, drawing patterns,
letter reading using pictorial letter chart, letter writing using pre designed
letter khata, letter writing practice.
* Math : Idea on (a) right & left, (b) small & big, (c) inside & outside, (d) up
& down, (e) near & far, (f) front & back, (g) middle, (h) long & short, (i) fat
& thin, (j) difference with others. (k) different size & shapes, (i) counting &
writing numbers from 1-20, (m) addition not more than 10, (n) deduction
not more than 9.
33 533576282. Kishor
Major, supportive activities undertaken so far for the school readiness
(pre-school) component include, among others, the followings :
Development of the modified package for the pre-school component,
conducting of a 6 day ‘Training of Trainers (TOT)’ on the modified package,
Conducting of a 7 day ‘Training of para workers’ for 885 para Kendros,
supplying of Materials to para kendros for use by the para workers and
children, and conducting of a 4 day orientation on supervision and
monitoring of pre-school activities at para kendras for the
District/upazila/union level managers of ICDP who supervise para workers
tasks, supplying of teaching materials to each para kendro for use by the
para worker and children. Ongoing, supportive activities include Refresher
Training of para workers.
1.2
Methodology of assessment :
The assessment was carried out collecting data over a sample of 120
para centers, with 40 para centres rendomly included from each of the
following three upazilas of the three CHT districts : Sadar upazila of
Rangamati District, Sadar Upazila of Bandarbna district and sadar Upazila
of Khagrachari District. Classroom obsrvations were conducted in each of
the sampled 120 para centers. In-depth interviews were conducted with all
the 120 para workers (teachers) of the sampled para-centres ; 238 PCMC
members, 110 primary school teachers, 10 trainers, and 9 organizers. In
addition, a sample of 515 children, including an average of about 4 children
from a sampled centre, was interviewed to evaluate their learning progress.
Fieldwork for data collection was carried out during the period from 17
April 2005 to 18 May 2005, by deploying 5 interviewing teams. A team
consisted of one supervisor and tow interviewers. the interviewers and
supervisors were given one week training on the study methodology and the
questionnaires, from 6 April 2005 to 13 April 2005. Data were collected
using the following assessment tools.
 Questionnaire for para workers.
 Questionnaire for PCMC members
 Questionnaire for primary school teachers.
 Questionnaire for trainer.
 Questionnaire for Organizers.
 Check list for classroom observations.
 Check list for examining children.
Subsequent presentations contain the major findings from the study.
2.
Para centers and para workers :
34 533576282. Kishor
A wide range of information was collected pertaining to para centers
and para workers, conducting in-depth interviews with the sample of para
workers and through the observations of facilities and activities at their para
centers.
2.1
Physical characteristics of para centers :
As observed in the survey, para center houses usually were built with
tin roofs, bamboo walls and earth floors. Para center houses were generally
in good or moderately good conditions. Three fourths of para centers in the
sample were situated in a safe and secure place and another 23 percent
situated in a moderately safe and secure place. But, the percentage of para
centres situated in a safe and secure place was only 53 percent in
Rangamati, compared to 75 percent in Bandarban and 95 percent in
Khagrachri. Conditions of roads to para centre were noted as good for 49
percent of para centers and moderately good for another 40 percent. thus,
some 10 percent of para centers in the sample were found to have roads in
poor condition, with 10 percent of those in Bandarban and a larger 23
percent in Rangamati. there was no para center with poor road condition in
Khagrachari.
2.2
Available water sources and sanitation facilities at para centers :
Most para centers (78 percent) had a tube well or a ring-well or a
super tara well as a source of drinking water. However, in Rangamati, a
large 35 percent of para centers used a dug well for drinking water, while it
was only 10 percent using a dug well in Khagrachari and 8 percent in
Bandarban. Only half (49 percent) of para centers in the sample had a
latrine, with 38 percent having a pit latrine and 11 percent a pucca latrine.
2.3
Background characteristics of para workers :
Para workers in Rangamati and Khagrachari were generally from the
tribal communities, mostly from the chakma community followed by the
Tripura community and the Marma community. But in Bandarban, 80
percent of the para workers were from the (non-tribal) Bangali community.
By religion, 61 percent of para workers were Buddhist, 27 percent muslim, 9
percent Hindu and 3 percent Christian. Over 70 percent of the para workers
in the sample were in the age groups from 20 to 34 years, 16 percent in the
youngest age group, 15-19 years, and 13 percent in the oldest age groups
from 35 to 49 years. Seventy eight percent of para workers in the sample
were married while 22 percent were never married. Never married para
workers were much more common in Rangamati than in Khagrachari and
Bandarban.
35 533576282. Kishor
2.4
Education and experience of para workers :
In the overall sample, 66 percent of para workers and an education
up to class viii or class ix while only 29 percent had a completed secondary
education or above. The proportion of para workers with a completed
secondary education or above was only 20 percent in Bandarban,
compared to 33 percent in Rangamati and 35 percent in Khagrachari.
In the overall sample, over 60 percent of para workers reported that
they had been working as a para worker for 5 years or more, with another
18 percent working for 3-4 years and another 9percent for less than one
year. The proportion of para workers working for 5 years or more was
highest at 78 percent in Khagrachari, Intermediate at 60 percent in
Rangamati and lowest at 53 percent in Bandarban.
2.5
Usual work :
types of work the para workers most commonly reported to be doing
were conducting Child development and pre-school activities were the most
commonly reported work usually carried out by a para worker-reported by
more than 9 in 10 para workers in every sample upazilas.
Other activities widely carried out by para workers were motivating
women to get immunization vaccines for themselves and their children
(reported by 88 percent of para workers), Administering vitamin A capsules
to the mother of newborn baby (82 percent), Organizing PCMC meetings
(80 percent), Creating awareness of using sanitary latrines (77 percent),
and creating awareness of prevention of diarrhea and ARI (73 percent),
Next most widely carried out activities of para workers were disseminating
knowledge of child nutrition (69 percent) and Encouraging consumption of
iodized salt (64 percent). There were no marked variations in widely carried
out usual activities of para workers among the sample upazilas.
2.6
Training
Most para workers reported having received the following training as
a para worker. 28 day long core training, training on multiple ways of
teaching and learning, and training on administering vitamin A capsule to
the mother of new born baby. Nearly 8 in 10 (78 percent) of para workers in
the sample reported having received the 28 day long core training nearly 8
in 10 (76 percent) the training on multiple ways of teaching and learning,
and more than 7 in10 (73 percent) the training on administering vitamin A
capsules to the mother of new born baby. Next most widely provided
trainings were the training on child development and pre-school activities
(64 percent) and the training on nutrition (61 percent). Few para workers
were found to have received the full course of training. Para workers training
36 533576282. Kishor
had generally less coverage in Bandarban among the three sample
upazilas.
For Child development and pre-school activities, almost every para
worker reported having received the 7 day long training. Also a high 76
percent of para workers stated having received the 5 day long training on
those activities, with 80 percent of para workers in Rangamati and
Khagrachari and 73 percent of those in Bandarban. But only 40 percent of
para workers in the sample reported having received the training on
parenting of 0-3 years old children. Para workers were less likely to have
received this training in Khagrachari (28 percent) than in Rangamati (45
percent) and Bandarban (50 percent).
Almost all (97 percent) of the para workers in the sample stated that
they needed further training. Retraining on child development and preschool activities was the most sought after training, followed by the training
on methods of imparting lessons to the children. Among para workers
seeking further training, more than 90 percent started that they needed retraining on child development and pre-school activities while 50 percent
stated that they needed the training on methods of imparting lessons to the
children. Demand for any other type of training was not as pronounced,
sought by less than 30 percent of para workers seeking further training.
2.7
Steps taken to enroll children in para center :
When asked what steps the para workers took in getting children
enrolled and come to a para centre, every para worker in the sample said
that she went to parents of 3-6 years purposes and benefits of the child
development and per-school preparedness programme. A large 44 percent
of para workers also mentioned that they went to children and motivated
them to come to the para centre. The proportion of para workers going to
children and motivating them to come to the para centre was higher in
Rangamati and Bandarban than in Khagrachari. But the reverse was true in
case of the proportion for para workers going to the village hands,
appearing higher in Khagrachari than in the other two upazilas.
2.8
Starting time of para centre :
Nearly 50 percent of para centres in the sample reportedly start in the
early morning hours between 6.00 A.M. and 7.00 A.M., 17 percent in the
late morning between 8.00 A.M. and 10.00 A.M. and 32 percent in the
afternoon between 1.00 P.M. and 3.00 P.M. Among the three sample
upazilas, the majority of para centres in Rangamati and Khagrachari start in
37 533576282. Kishor
the morning hours while the majority of those in Bandarban start in the
afternoon hours. however, every para worker every where reported running
the para centre for 2 hours every working day.
2.9
Guide Book :
Every para worker n every upazila in the sample had the guidebook
with her and said she followed it in imparting lessons to children. But, when
questioned how frequently they followed the guidebook, only 23 percent of
para workers said they followed it always. The others, comprising the vast
majority (77 percent), were found to be occasional users of the guidebook,
with 31 percent saying that they followed it sometime and 46 percent saying
that they followed it when needed. The proportion of para workers always
following the guidebook was however much higher as 50 percent in
Bandarban, compared to only 10 percent in each of the other two upazilas.
There were no data collected in the current study to examine district wise
differences in the implementation of the school readiness programme future
studies may investigate the underlying reasons of these differences.
2.10 Number of Children :
The average number of children enrolled per para centre was 17.5 in
the total sample, while the figure for a sample upazila was 13.6 for
Khagrachari, 14.5 for Rangamati and 17.5 for Bandarban. Fifty six percent
of the childdren were in the 3-5 years age group and 44 percent in the older
5-6 year age group. Higher proportions of younger than older children were
noted in every sample upazila. The proportions of boys and girls were
almost equal in the older age group. But, there were relatively more girls
than boys in the younger age group in every sample upazila. The reasons
for why more girls than boys in the younger age group were enrolled were
not investigated in the current study.
2.11 Additional supports :
For additional supports to carry out the pre-school activities more
successfully, 93 percent of para workers said that their salary should be
raised in order for them to be able to carry out the para centre activities
more successfully. Next most sought after additional supports were they
should be given more materials and they need more training. There were
generally no remarkable variation in seeking of additional supports among
the sample upazilas.
Additional materials most commonly sought by para workers were
dolls (64 percent), kitchen utensils (54 percent) and motor vehicles (53
38 533576282. Kishor
percent), followed by telephones (45 percent) and balls (44 percent). Para
workers were more likely to ask for additional materials in Rangamati than in
the other two upazilas.
2.12 Receipt of Materials :
Most para workers in the sample had received the materials; in due
time, supplied at the start of para center activities. Only 13 percent of the
para workers reported not having received the first supply in due time. The
percentage not receiving the first supply in due time was higher 23 percent
in Khagrachari, compared to 13 percent in Bandarban and 5 percent in
Rangamati. Most para workers did not receive any subsequent supply of
materials after the first supply given at start of para centers. Only percent of
the para workers reported having received a subsequent supply of
materials.
2.13 Materials collected/ made by para workers :
Most para workers in every sample upazila said that they gathered
(teaching) materials locally for their para centres. Most commonly gathered
materials locally were leaves followed by bamboo canes/sticks and seeds.
Almost all the para workers in the sample said they made some materials
themselves for their para centres, such as toys like stoves/kitchen utensils,
mangoes/jackfruits/bananas/papayas, etc.
2.14 Methods of supply :
Most para workers preferred that materials for para centres be
centrally procured/made and then supplied to the centres.
2.15 Preservation of materials :
Almirhas/Shelves/ Cupboards/trunks were used to preserve materials
in most para centers in the sample- trunks in 81 percent of para centers and
almirhas/ shelves/cupboards in 70 percent of para centres. Sacks also were
used to preserve materials in a sizeable 35 percent of para centers. Most
para workers in very sample upazila said they had no problems in
preserving materials in their para centers.
2.16 Organizer’s visits :
As reported by para workers, most of the para centers-89 percent
were visited by the organizer every month ; others were visited mostly every
two months. Few centers, located mostly in Khagrachari, were visited less
often than every two months.
39 533576282. Kishor
2.17 Meetings :
Almost every para worker reported holding meetings with the para
management committee (PCMC) every month. But when the records of
meetings were checked, it was noted that most (78 percent) of the para
workers in the sample had the last meeting with the PCMC 3-6 months ago.
Only 20 percent of the para workers had the last meeting held less than 3
months ago. Meeting with the PCME were held more frequently in
Rangamati than in the other two sample upazilas.
2.18 Parents visits:
Almost every para worker everywhere in the sample stated that
parents of children made visits to the para centre. Most commonly reported
reasons of a parent’s visits were she/he wanted to know if har/his child
could read, reported by 81 percent of para workers. Next most commonly
reported reasons were she/he wanted to know if her/his child attended the
centre. Some 21 percent of para workers mentioned of parent visiting the
centre to check if their child was crying for any reason. Few parents
appeared to be visiting the centre to know about the center’s development.
There were no discernible variations in reported reasons of parents visits
among the sample upazilas.
2.19 Drop out children :
Most para centers (82 percent) did not have any (enrolled) children
dropping out in the year preceding the survey. Only 18 percent of para
workers reported having children dropping out form their centres in the
preceding year. Where children dropped out, it was mostly due to lack of
perents awareness of the importance of pre-school teaching.
2.20 Completion of pre-school course and enrollment in primary
school:
Five or fewer children per para centre were reported to have
completed the para centre course the last year before the survey in 61
percent of para centers, and 6-10 children in another 35 percent of para
centers. The mean number of children completing the course was 5.0 in the
total sample, and 4 in Rangamati, 4.3 in Khagrachari and higher 6.7 in
Bandarban. Among children who had completed the course last year, most
(94 percent) were enrolled in a primary school. Only 6 percent in the total
sample could not be enrolled. Moat (93 percent) of para workers in the
sample had reportedly tried to get their students enrolled in a primary
40 533576282. Kishor
school. Among the steps taken to get the children enrolled, 75 percent of
the para workers reported having taken them to primary schools. 69 percent
reported having persuaded their parents and 60 percent reported having
dept contacts with the primary school teachers. There were little variations
in taking these steps by para workers among the sample upazilas.
3.
Para centre management committee (PCMC)
3.1
Characteristics of President and members of PCMC
Nearly one-fifth (18 percent) of the president and members of the
PCME have no education, while two-third have the educational level of
class V and above PCMC president/members from Khagrachari are more
likely to be educated than the other two district. Most of them live in the
locality where PCMC in located.
3.2
Responsibilities of president and members of PCMC :
The most common responsibility born by the president and members
of the PCMC is to take care of para center (74 percent) followed by
attending monthly meetings (58 percent) extending overall cooperation for
bringing children to para center (55 percent) and supervise the para workers
duties (54 percent). Most of the president and members (61 percent) of the
PCMC did not receive any training on matters related to para centre.
3.3
Para centre management :
Most of the (60 percent) para center was established between 1996
and 2001, except Bandarban. About 95 percent of the para centers have 5
member management committee and majority of them are male. Bandarban
shows the higher proportion (33 percent) of female members in the PCMC
and Rangamati the lowest (3 percent).
3.4
Dropout of children from para center :
About 90 percent of the respondent reported that there was no
dropout in para centres. Dropout rate is slightly higher in Bandarban than in
the other two districts. Lack of awareness of parents (52 percent), followed
by long distrance of para center from house (29 percent), communication
problem (24 percent) and temporary migration undertaken by the family to
work for Joom cultivatin away from home (24 percent) appeared as the main
reasons for dropping out of children from para centers. In bringing back the
41 533576282. Kishor
dropped out children to para centers, all the respondents (100 percent)
stressed upon visiting the households of the dropped out children and
convincing their parents to send their children in para centers.
3.5
Para worker management :
PCMC president and members are generally aware of the duties and
responsibilities of the para workers. They were found highly satisfied with
the way the para workers were running the para centers. More than seventy
percent (72 percent) of them consider effective teaching method as the
most successful characteristic of a para worker, followed by good conduct
and conformity to social norms (63 percent), regularity in work (44 percent)
and eagerness to work (37 percent).
3.6
Attendance of children in para center :
There is seasonal cause for low attendance of children in para center.
Monsoon is the most low attendance season as mentioned by more than 90
percent of the respondents across the three districts. Low attendance in
monsoon is mainly due to inclement weather and poor communication, as
mentioned by 44 percent and 54 percent of the respondents respectively.
3.7
Characteristics of community :
In Rangamati, waterway (51 percent) is the main mode of
communication, followed by concrete road (37 percent). In Khagrachari,
main mode of communication is concrete road (53 percent), while in
Bandarban, the main mode of communication is path for traveling on foot
(71 percent). In Rangamati, agriculture, fishing and business are the main
sources of livelihood, while in Khagrachari and Bandarban, agriculture.
Business and service are the major source of livelihood. Immunization
center is less available in Rangamati district. Most of the mothers in the
three districts are very much aware of matters related to breastfeeding. the
results indicate that the people of the three districts generally use iodized
salt. Most of the people in the three districts are using pit latrine. Sanitary
condition seems to be poorer in Bandarban. Tube well is the main source of
drinking water in Khagachari and Bandarban, while in Rangamati, Ring
well/super tara tube well and other sources such as lake, pond or river are
the main source of drinking water.
4.
Primary school teachers
4.1
Profile of primary school teachers :
42 533576282. Kishor
Most of the teachers are aged 30 and above. Among the teachers, 47
percent are from the Buddhist community, followed by 34 percent from the
Muslim community, 18 percent from Hindu community and less than one
percent from the Christian community. Bandarban shows the higher
proportion of Muslim teachers (78 percent) compared to the other two
districts. Ethnically 47 percent of the teachers are Chakma, while 46 percent
are Bengali and 7 percent are either Tripua or Marma. Bengalee teachers
are numerous (94 percent) in Bandarban, while chakmas are in Rangamati
(79 percent) and Khagrachari (58 percent) in Bandarban, while chakmas are
in Rangamati (79 percent) and Khagrachari (58 percent). More than sixty
percent (64 percent) of the teachers are either S.S.C or H.S.C passed and
nearly one-third are graduates. About five percent of the teachers have less
than S.S.C. level education and they are from Rangamati and Khagrachari.
Teachers from Bandarban are more likely to be higher educatted than in the
other two districts.
4.2 Knowledge of primary school teachers about a para center and
its curriculum :
Most of the teachers are aware of para center and perceived that
para center teacher pre-school lessons, while 56-79 percent reported that
para center teachers rhymes, songs and dances. Most of the teachers
reported that the program in para center include teaching alphabet (72
percent) followed by songs, dances or stories (70 percent) and recitation of
rhymes (51 percent).
4.3
Communication with para workers :
More than half (57 percent) of the teachers reported that they
maintain contact with the para workers. Nearly 90 percent of the teachers
reported that the para workers used to come to them to get children
admitted to primary school. About half of the teachers reported that para
organizers come to them for admitting of children to primary school.
4.4 Performance social and mental development in the children of
para centers :
Slightly more than half (53 percent) of the teachers reported that the
children coming from para center were dong well in their studies compared
to the other students in the schools. The rate varies from 41 percent in
Bandarban to 71 percent in Rangamati. As regards social behavior such as
43 533576282. Kishor
courtesy, mixing with classmates, conduct with teachers and working in
groups, most of the teachers reported that children coming from para
centers are relatively better than other students.
4.5
Impact of pre-school activities in para centers :
Almost all teachers of the selected schools from three districts opined
that the formation of pre-school activities through para center have positive
impact on school readiness program. However, to increase the school
enrollment they have suggested taking more care while imparting lessons to
children and para workers should maintain regular contact with the teachers
of the primary schools.
5.
Trainers :
A primary focus in the formative evaluation study was ascertaining the
profile of trainers employed to impart training to para workers and
organizers, their roles and performances in the implementation of child
development and pre-school activities. Pertinent data were collected by
conducting in depth interviews with all of the ten trainers engaged in the
programme.
5.1
Background data :
All the trainers were male. they were in the age rage from 31 to 49
years, with 5 of them being below age 40 and the other 5 above age 40.
Regarding their education, 6 had an MA degree and another 2 a BA degree.
two trainers were not graduates, with one having an education up to the
Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) level and one having an education up
to the Secondary School certificate level. Seven out of the 10 trainers
reported working as a trainer for 5 years or more ; the remaining 3 trainers
were recent recruits recruited two years ago.
5.2
Usual work :
Trainers most commonly carried out usual activity was “teaching para
workers practically how to conduct the different sessions in the para center”.
Their next most commonly carried out activities were ‘Discussing the guide
book with para workers in order to facilitate its use by them; and Imparting
training to organizers’. Only 3 of the 10 trainers reported teaching para
workers how to use and preserve materials of para centers.
5.3
Training :
44 533576282. Kishor
Every trainer or almost every trainer reported having received the
training on : Child development and pre-school activities, multiple ways of
teaching and learning (MWTL), Gender issues, Administering of vitamin A
capsules to the mother of newborn baby, and Nutrition. Next most
commonly received trainings, received by 5-7 of the 10 trainers, were on :
Creating of awareness about health issues (Facts for life), Management,
ARI/Diarrhea, and Child rights/Child care/Child welfare. Only one or two
trainers reported having received training on supervision and monitoring,
and sanitation issues.
For the child development and pre-school activities, 7 trainers
reported having received the special training on child rights/Child care/Child
welfare, while 5 trainers reported having received the special training on
material development provided by the PLAN International. Only 4 trainers
reported that they had received the 3 day long refresher training provided
for the child development and pre-school activities. three or fewer trainers
reported having received any other special training provided for the child
development and pre-school activities. When asked, every trainer stated
that he needed more training as a trainer for the child development and preschool activates.
5.4 Para workers are given training by a trainer in batches, with a batch
including 20-25 para workers. In the last year before the survey, a trainer on
average offered training to about 7 batches, with 3 trainers each training 10
batches and another 3 trainers each training 5-6 batches. There were three
trainers who offered training to only 2-4 batches, each in the last year.
As reported by the trainers, basic training of para workers was
provided in 7 days and their refresher train was provided in 3 days. the
following two subjects were taught in the training by every trainer or almost
every trainer ; Activities and curriculum of the child development and preschool programme, and methods of teaching. Other subjects taught
included Material collection and development, Use and preservation of
materials, Parenting of 0-3 year old children, organizing monthly meetings.
But they were not taught by most trainers.
5.5
Materials and training manual
Every trainer stated receiving the materials needed for the training, in
due course.
45 533576282. Kishor
Every trainer had the Training Manual with him. But only 2 trainers
said they always followed the manual in offering the training. Most others
said they used it only when needed.
5.6
Training of Organizers :
Eight of the 10 trainers interviewed in the survey had the
responsibility for offering training to both the para workers and the
organizers. The other two said their responsibility was only to offer training
to para workers. Thus information about organizers training, collected in the
survey, was relevant to the performances of the 8 trainers only, not all the
10 trainers.
One of the 8 trainers did not offer any training to organizers in the last
year before the survey. The 7 others each, on average, offered training to
about 48 organizers in the last year before the survey, with a trainer training
a minimum of 50 organizers and a maximum of 62 organizers. The training
was offered in different durations by the different trainers, ranging from 3
days to 7 days. There were also variations in the types of training provided
by the different trainers. Some trainers offered the 5 daylong core training,
some the 3 daylong refreshers’ training and some the other types of
training.
5.7
Joint responsibility as a trainer and an organizer:
At the end of the interview, a trainer was asked to state the positive
aspects of a person holding joint responsibility of trainer and organizer. Most
commonly reported positive aspects were he would be able to better
describe in the training class the problems he had identified by visiting the
para centers.
6.
Organizers :
In ascertaining organizer’s profile, and performances in the
implementation of the child development and pre-school activities, in-depth
interviews were conducted with all 9 of the organizers employed in the
programme.
6.1
Background characteristics :
Out of the 9 organizers interviewed, six were from the chakma
community, two from the Bangali community and one from the Tripura
community. By religious classification, 6 were Buddhist, 2 were Muslim and
46 533576282. Kishor
one was Hindu. Organizers were in the age range of 34-56 years, with five
being between 40 and 50, two below 40 and another two above 50. Five of
the organizers had a BA degree, and one an MA degree. One organizer had
an education only up to higher secondary certificate (HSC) level. Every
organizer reported working as an organizer for at least six years, with two
organizers working for over 20 years.
6.2
Usual work :
Organizers mostly work as supervisors of Para workers. They are full
time workers. their commonly reported usual activities, reported by 6 or
more of the 9 organizers, were : Conducting child development and preschool activities, Checking whether para centers were being run regularly,
Organizing PCMC meetings, Attending PCMC meetings, Holding yardmeetings, Preparing monthly reports, Enrolling 6+ children in primary
schools, visiting para centers regularly, Holding cluster meetings, Reviewing
para worker’s monthly reports, Creating awareness of prevention of
diarrhea/ARI, Creating awareness of breast-feeding, Disseminating
knowledge of child nutrition, and Administering vitamin A capsules to the
mother of new born baby. Among activities reported by 5 or fewer of the
trainers were supervising para workers, Assisting para workers in various
ways. Motivating women to get immunization vaccines for themselves and
their children, Encouraging consumption of iodized salt etc.
6.3
Training :
Out of the 9 Organizers, 7 or more reported having received the
trainings on : Child development and pre-school activities, Multiple ways of
teaching and larning (MWTL), and Nutrition. Next most commonly received
trainings, received by 4-6 of the 9 Organizers, were no ARI/ Diarrhea,
Administering of vitamin A capsule to mother of newborn baby, Gender
issues, Sanitation issues, Management, ARI/Diarrhea, and child rights/Child
care/Child welfare, Only 2 or 3 organizers reported having received training
on supervision and monitoring, and crating awareness about health issues
(Fact for Life).
For supervision of the child development and pre-school activities, 7
of the 9 organizers reported having received the 5 day long core training,
while 5 of the organizers reported having received the training on child
rights/child care/child welfare. Only 2-3 organizers reported that they had
received the 3 day long refresher training and the training on management,
provided for the supervision of the child development and pre-school
47 533576282. Kishor
activities. Every organizer said they he needed more training for supervision
of the child development and pre-school activities.
6.4
Additional supports :
In recommending steps to be taken to conduct the child development
and pre-school activities more successfully, 8 of the 9 organizers suggested
that the salary of para workers be raised. Other commonly suggested steps
were: more training to be organized more materials to be supplied, training
allowances/daily allowance to be increased, and retraining of para worker to
be arranged.
6.5
Materials :
Four of the 9 organizers stated that they received, in due time, the
materials they needed to administer the child development and pre-school
activities under their supervisions. The others reported having received the
materials later than the due time. The supplies of materials needed were
reported as inadequate by 7 of the 9 organizers.
6.6
Number of para centers :
There were variations in the number of centers assigned to different
organizers for supervision. Some organizers were assigned to supervise 25
centers, some 36-39 centers and the others 42 centers or more. Thus the
number of para centers placed under the supervision of an organizer found
to be varying widely from a minimum of 25 centers to a maximum of 55
centers. The organizers stated that they cou7ld not visit as many centers a
month as they were supposed to. This was because they were busy with
imparting training as well as with office work. More over, an organizer was
assigned too many centers to visit a month.
6.7
Things usually observed during supervision :
During their supervisory visits, Organizers commonly observed the
ways, the para worker conduct the class and the methods of teaching that
she follow, attendance of children in the class, the activities carried out by
the para worker, the extent she follow the guidebook and the extent she
follow the class routine in imparting lessons. Next most commonly, they
looked at the cleanliness of the para center. Most of organizers said they
were satisfied with the way the para workers fun the para centers. Only 2 of
the 9 organizers said they were not satisfied with activities of he para
48 533576282. Kishor
workers they supervised. Their main reasons of dissatisfactions were the
para workers do not attend their centres regularly and/or they were not
qualified to work as para workers.
6.8
Attendance of children :
All the 9 organizers, except one, reported the average rate of
attendance of children in the para centers they aspects namely availability
of facilities, classroom activities and learning achievement of the children.
7.1
General observation :
(i) 100% para workers were found present at their centers on time.
(ii) Average number of children per center was 17.5 and out of them 13.1
children on average per center was found present on the day of visit.
(iii) Hanging materials such as class routine, environmental chart, vowel
chart and consonant chart were found in all the districts but the
percentage of their availability varied item to item and district to district.
For example, class routine was found in 100% centers of Rangamati
and 70% centres of Bandarban. Vowel and consonant charts were
found available in 55% and 47% centers of Khagrachari respectively,
although in other two districts these were available in 92%-97% centers
respectively. Pictures drawn by the children were found in only 17.5%
centers.
(iv) Different corner : Regarding the presence of the children in each corner
varied district-wise as well as corner-wise.
In Rangamati district the number of children found playing/working
was mainly within the range 1-4, but in other two districts the range was
even up to 7 children. Moreover, no child was found in 22.5% Block and
Movement corners, 37.5% water and send corners and 50% book and
Drawing corners of Khagrachari district.
7.2
Availability of Materials for the corners :
In the imagination corner the stock position of materials was found
better. All materials except Toy stove were found present in this corner at all
the centers.
Regarding block and movement corners, the position of stock of 10
items out of 17 was found in a good state (80% to 94% centers). Skipping
rope was found in 30% centers an various kinds of seeds in only 17.5
49 533576282. Kishor
centers. Steps should be taken to update the stock portion of materials of
this corner in all the districts.
The overall position in respect of Water and send corners as well as
Book and Drawing corners was not found fully satisfactory. More interesting
items such as plastic tortoise, fish, duck for water and sand corners, crown
and mask, different kinds of picture books for book and drawing corners
should be made available for each and every center.
7.3
Activities of children in the corners :
The overall present position in respect of different kinds of activities of
the children in the different corners proved that they liked the corners and
the activities. If more interesting materials are supplied or prepared locally
by the para workers and the guardians jointly, the program will be surely
benefited.
The para workers were found sincere and active but the participation
of the parents was found very low. Orientation of the parents, on the
different activities, preparation of materials locally as well as on their
benefits might be organized under this program.
7.4
Position of teaching-learning activities :
The overall position in respect of following rules, participation of
children and joy fullness of the children was not found fully satisfactory. The
tables in this respect show that in conducting most of the activities the rule
of teaching learning was completely followed in around 60% centers and
moderately followed in around 35% centers. In respect of participation of
children the tables show that in 70-80% centers all children were found to
participate in the learning activities but in few cases, around 40% children
got high pleasure in being involved in the class activities.
So appropriate steps should be taken to make the learning more
joyful and participatory through identifying effective teaching-learning
processes and refreshers training regularly.
7.5
Achievement of Children :
The results of the achievement test conducted in the centers show
that in respect of reciting rhymes, matching shapes, telling names of fruits,
flowers, natural objects etc. The achievement of the children was very good.
Even in calculation with the help of objects they showed good achievement.
these indicate that the children were in general intelligent. But their
50 533576282. Kishor
achievement in reading alphabets and mathematical numbers was poor,
although in writing alphabet, it was moderate. Regarding development of
social behavior, it was found that only 22% children response to greeting.
This might be due to the age factor and social/family environment and
culture.
51 533576282. Kishor
Evaluation of Chittagong Hill Tracts Component of
GOB UNICEF Project on Environmental Sanitation
Hygiene and water supply in Rural Areas
Prepared by
Tawfique Ahmed
Md. Ayub Ali
AKM Maksud
Imtiaj Rasul
MRC-MODE Limited
Prepared for DPHE & UNICEF, BCO
July 21, 2005
1.
2.
3.
4.
Team leader and executive director, MRC Mode ltd.
Participatory Evaluation Specialist and Consultant MRC Mode ltd.
Social Anthropologist and Consultant MRC Mode Ltd.
Social Research Manager, MRC Mode Ltd.
52 533576282. Kishor
Executive summary
Introduction, Background, Objectives and Methodology
The government of Bangladesh and UNICEF jointly formulated a fiveeary plan of operation (2001-2005) for a program of services for children
and women in Bangladesh. Under this prgramme. The environmental
sanitation, Hygiene, and Water supply in Rural Areas (ESHWSRA) is one
of the major components being implemented with financial assistance from
Department for International Development (DFID). The project consisted of
5 components e.g. social mobilization. Safe water supply, Chittagong Hill
Tracts, Institutional Capacity Building and School Sanitation and Hygiene
Education (SSHE). UNICEF is implementing the project in collaboration with
Department of Public Health and Engineering (DPHE). The Chittagong Hills
tracts (CHT) component has been implemented in this region since last two
years. In CHT there are several ethnic groups, which have diverse culture
with their own cultural beliefs and practices. As they have different cultural
values their hygiene practices and behaviors are different that in main land.
The main purpose and outputs of the CHT component was to improve
standards of hygiene practices and behaviors, particularly for the poor on a
sustainable basis whilst ensuring adequate sanitation and safe water in low
water table and saline areas and CHT. These improvements were
incorporated there for their betterment and keeping in mind their cultural
values and beliefs.
The project took shape in consultation with the CHT Development Board
(CHTDB), Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) and UNICEF
officials. The para centers were used as the platform for this project’s
activities. These centres are being implemented by UNICEF supported
Integrated community Development Project (ICDP). Three hundred para
centers were selected for the project. In implementing the project, para
action plan (PAP) was prepared by the community people with assistance
from the project staff especially para worker. A part form implementers,
facilitating agencies were selected to assist the ICDP workers. The Union
Watson committee and the community leaders also played a vital role in
implementation of the para Action plan.
The board objective of the evaluation was to explore the effectiveness of the
para center approach. Besides stated objectives in the TOR, the MTR
objectives have also been addressed under the evaluation.
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a multi method approach was adopted to evaluate the project e.g. transect
walk, survey, observation, in depth interviewing and focus group discussion.
The evaluation covered all three districts of the CHT. Under the evaluation
1206 household interviews. 72 interviews with para workers, 75 para center
observations 210 household observations, 65 FGDs, 13 sessions of game
and observation with school children, 202 in depth interviews with different
types of stakeholders and 11 school observations were conducted.
General features of population of the evaluation :
General features of the study population like age, sex, education, religion,
ethnic identity, poor non-poor status of households and population
characteristics were considered in this evaluation, Findings show that
among the total population 52 percent are male and 48 percent are female.
The family size of the study population was found 4.88. The main
occupation of the majority population in hill districts in agriculture. Though
islam is the predominant religion of the population of Bangladesh, in the
CHT 68 percent people are Buddhist. The average age of the para workers
is 27 years and education level of the majority of them is SSC and above.
Para workers were recruited from different ethnic groups e.g. toinchoinga
(32%), Chakma (11%), Marma (14%), Tripura (10%), etc.
PAP, Map, Community needs and Participation :
At the initiation level each para centre prepared a para action plan (PAP) to
conduct the project activities. Drawing para map and subsequently
preparation of para PAP are the essential parts of the project. To maintain
the participatory development process, all activities of the project were
planned and implemented though participatory process though para center,
Several types of stakeholders e.g. community people both male and female,
headman and Karbari, Watson committee members, women family
members, religious leaders etc, participate in the planning, monitoring and
implementation process of the project. But participation of some
stakeholders such as poor people, Union parishad members, etc. was not
up to the level of expectation.
As per the project instruction, the maps are supposed to display in the
para center or in a common place with an aim to orient the people about the
water and sanitation situation of the para, the changes occurred as an
impact of the project intervention, people’s demand and the achievements.
Abut 64 percent community people have seen the maps displayed in the
para center. One of the difficulties in displaying the map and PAP was the
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para centers are not well protected with wall or fence to preserve the map
and PAP.
The quality for para maps was found appreciable except a few ones. In both
PAP and Map more than 80 percent of the existing households, poor
households, water points, other institutions, markets and place of safe
excreta disposal were accurately identified. During transect walk and para
center observation it was found that the average number of household is
shown in the map is 36.7, which was found 37 during physical verification.
these findings fulfill the expectation that was mentioned in OVI 1.2.
Usefulness of PAP Process and needs for its revision :
95 percent respondents of household category found that PAP process as
useful. The reasons of mentioning PAP process as useful are increase of
awareness of the community people on health and sanitation issues,
opportunity creation of getting benefits for poor people through
implementation of PAP etc.
Under the PAP process community meetings, transect walk, wealth ranking,
participatory mapping etc. Activities were carried out. Due to community
meeting community people could explore their water and sanitation
situation, plan for safe water and sanitary latrine and talk the right decisions.
Participatory mapping helped the community people in identifying the water
and sanitation situation, identifying their existing water points and to plan for
planned water point to be installed in future.
Behavior change, knowledge on PAP process :
Para a action planning (PAP) process helped different groups of
stakeholders in changing their behavior. Different stakeholders of the project
mentioned that their participation in PAP process and its subsequent
activities helped community people to learn about health and hygiene and
eventually helped change their behavior. the major reasons for such
improvement were courtyard meeting organized by the PW, presentation of
BCC material, installation of hygienic latrine and safe water source. Before
two years people used to drink water from canal and chara and have to
defecate in the jungle and on the slope of the hill but now people collect
water for drinking from the newly constructed water point and has began to
construct sanitary latrine.
Knowledge on PAP process of community people, para workers and other
change agents were investigated through both quantitative and qualitative
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approach. 93 percent community people reported to know about para
worker’s activities. All of the watsan committee members are aware of the
PAP process where they claimed their active involvement and participation
in decision making process. All PCMC members have reported that they
could remember clearly about PAP process such as planning, mapping,
transect etc.
Behavior change of the people in project para and neighboring para
and role of change agents :
Hand washing at critical times using appropriate cleaning agents is a key
hygiene issue of the project. Community people have the practice of
washing their hands in different ways for different reasons. However, using
w2ashing agents vary depending on different types of washing occasions.
About 50 percent of the community people reported to wash hands with
soap and water before eating food, after defecation and on cleaning
children’s bottom after defecation. According to the FGD participants of
women groups now they drink tube-well water but before two years they
used to drink water from charra, canal, river and fountain, as a result now
they suffer less from diseases than before. According to a few women
participants of FGD session those who go for zoom cultivation defecate in
the jungle and do not use water to clean themselves, rather they use kathi
or stick, because water is not always available more.
47 percent households reported that they have changed their source of
drinking water within the last two years, and nearly three fourths of them
have switched to safe sources like tube well, ring well and tara pump. 35
percent households reported that they had switched source of water for
washing vegetables/fruits and nearly three fourths of them have switched to
safe sources.
The CHT population demonstrates good water management practices.
many of the households now treat water prior to drinking, use a separate
mug to draw drinking water from the water storage pot and cover the water
pot right from the source.
Some FGE participants reported that their neighboring community has also
become conscious due to the project activities carried out in their para and
as a result now they did not find remarkable difference in behavioral
practices between the members of project para and neighboring para.
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Almost all of the POs have reported that the headman/karbari the religious
leader such as imams, vantage also played a vital role to promote hygienic
latrine, safe, water use and sanitation in the community. The religious
leaders reported that imams discuss about watsan issue at the time of
religious sermons and after jumma prayer and the ventac discusses about
water and sanitation by microphone from kiong. They also motivated and
made the community people aware about watsan project. During FGDs all
adolescent girls reported that washing practice happened only because of
the efforts of para worker (PW)/Didi.
According to the school teachers nothing but poverty and illiteracy are the
main barriers to changing behaviors in the community. POs reported that
the main problem in their community is safe water and without water it is
impossible to use hygienic latrine and ensure sanitation. Some of them have
mentioned geographical issues as barriers.
Installation of Water point, Poor’s Access to safe water points and
Availability of water :
In para action plan community people indicate the place for installation of
water points and install it under the project instruction. The respondents of
household category reported that about 61 percent water point installed as
per PAP. The findings for para workers survey also reveals that 65 percent
water points were installed as per PAP.
Para workers also reported that nm 51 percent paras of CHT new water
points had been installed during the project period so far. the verage
number of water points installed in 51 paras is 1.8. Among the installed
water points 74 percent were ring well. 19 percent were tubewell. 1 percent
was dug well 1 percent was rainwater harvesting system.
Respondents of household were asked to explore whether they faced any
difficulties in collecting water from the source . 73 percent of the
respondents reported not to face any problem in collecting water. Findings
also show that even in the un-served and under served areas 83 percent of
the people get water from the newly installed source all the year round.
These findings support the OVI 2B.1. During the household survey
respondents were asked to know about the instance of water points from
their households. 73 percent respondents reported to have access to water
within 150 feet from their households.
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Findings of the household survey also shows that in 80 percent of the model
paras 90 percent or more households use safe water for drinking. This is
just in line with the OVI 2B.2.
Latrine Installation, Status of Use and Maintenance :
Latrine installation and its use is one of the key factors for hygiene practice.
under this project various change agents have been promoting hygiene
practices through different activities the community. During household
observation, it was found that 82 percent of the household has latrines. Of
them about 45 percent had been installed with 2 years that means after the
project intervention.
During household survey, the respondents were asked to investigate the
usual places for defecation and urination. About 73 percent of the
household category respondents mentioned that they defecated in the
latrines at their homes and 8 percent generally use neighbors community
latrine. A considerable portion of the hill people i.e. 13 percent still defecates
near the slope of the hills since they could not install latrine at home. It is to
be mentioned that some old age population has yet to become habituated to
use latrine. Although the rate latrine use by the children of 1-3 years of age
is low but he rate of using latrine by adolescents is around 80 percent.
A considerable portion of the community people reported about some
inconvenience regarding use, cleanliness and maintenance. The major
reported reasons of inconveniences were unpleasant small, high cost of
construction and replacement, distance etc. The reported inconveniences of
maintaining cleanliness were lack of required water in need cost
maintenance, lack of arrangement to clan it regularly etc.
Coordination, convergence and sustainability :
The level of co-ordination among ICDP including para worker and project
organizer, facilitating agencies. DPHE/UNNICEF and other stakeholders
was one of the objectives of the evaluation. Though there is a diverse
opinion among different stakeholders but the overall co-ordination among
the stakeholders were found positive. Although 97 percent para worker
reported that they co-ordinate among themselves but one SAE reported
about lack of co-ordination among different stakeholders of Watsan in the
hill tracts.
In Chittagong Hill Tracts various development activities have been
conducted under the integrated community development project (ICDP) and
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ESHWARA project. Among activities conducted by ICDP. Child education,
health, extended progrm of immunization, family planning, adolescent girls
education on menstrual hygiene. School sanitation and hygiene education,
water quality check, nutrition project implementation, material development
of education are notable.
Alongside the development activities from the assistance of the UNICEF,
INCDP also conducting the development activities with government fund
program. Most of these activities are being conducted centering the para
center. There is scope of convergence among movement program like
health, nutrition, protection, and water and sanitation with education. If these
development activities could be integrated that might help to create more
effective outcome by providing less cost and effort.
The issue of sustainability is an important one. Which is considered from
various points of view in different level. different community level
stakeholders reported that people liked the facilities, which were being
promoted by the project. But the community people are so poor and they
have little ability to install sanitary latrine or contribute to install a water
point. According to the karbaris now the union parishad also realize that the
development of para means the development of the whole union so the
union watsan committee is also active in implementing the activities through
para center. Ownership of these activities by the local government
institutions will help sustain this type of activities.
The local elite, Kasrbari, Vantac has contributed a good among of money,
some land, some valuable suggestions. the community people who could
not afford to contribute invested time and labor in installing it.
Recommendations :
The evaluation findings indicate some issues that need to be considered for
the future improvement and smooth operation of the project. Throughout the
evaluation process, some of the recommendation evolved from the various
suggestions made by the stakeholders, while some of them are made based
on the analysis of primary data. Recommendations have been elaborately
discussed in chapter fourteen.
Survey findings showed that almost all the latrine are cleaned by the
females and those are cleaned usually once in two weeks, Gender
discrimination in performing the cleaning task must be reduced to promote
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the situation of cleanliness of latrines. More male persons ate needed to
encourage so that they share the responsibility of cleaning the latrine with
their female household members.
Communication Materials :
Different stakeholders mentioned that because of multiple level
communication by the agencies. Workers, video show, involvement of the
religious leaders, use of posters etc. a visible change in behavior is on
process.
During project period various types of BCC materials were used.
Community people reported to see posters, flash cards, leaflet, picture on
sanitary latrine, picture of safe water use, picture of tube well, video show,
map etc. 76 percent male and female respondents acknowledged that they
saw BCC materials. In line with the OVI 1.1.4 the findings also indicate that
50 percent men in 80 percent community people liked all kinds of BCC
materials but only one percent did not like the BCC materials. They disliked
because the content of the BCC materials was not clear to them. According
to one SAEs report an ethnic minority group i.e. “Chak” were not able to
understand to PW’s language since the PW worker was Bengali and they
did not understand Bangla.
FGD participants of both male and female group reported that the flashcard,
flipchart, video show were most effective materials, Though a significant
percentage of respondents commented on the existing BCC materials as
effective materials, but a few ere suggested for some further revision.
A portion of community people reported that there is a need to improve the
quality of communication materials in terms of presentation of picture and
size. they suggested various ways to improve the quality of BCC materials
e.g. to produce good picture those are easy to understand and bigger in
size, to show movie on Watsan and to improve quality o poster those will be
more colorful etc.
Para worker’s knowledge and community people’s understanding on health
messages :
Community people reported to receive various health messages from the
change agents. they received messages on rubbing hands with soap and
wash with adequate water before eating, rubbing of both hands with soap
and wash with adequate water after defection, rubbing of both hands with
soap and wash with adequate water after disposing off child’s feces, rubbing
of inside and outside of the kolshi/water pot and rinse it the safe water,
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collection of water from safe water source, covering the kolshi/ drinking from
glass, use of separate pot for drinking purpose, use of sandal in the latrine,
keeping the latrine clean, men’s enquired assistance for women to clean the
latrine, washing rags with soap and water and dry in the sun before reuse
and disposal of the used sanitary pads/napkins or rag in a fixed place etc.
Community people were found well informed about the above mentioned
issues and most of these messaged they received from para workers.
Knowledge and practices on menstrual hygiene :
Promoting knowledge and practice regarding menstrual hygiene of the
adolescent girls and women was one of the most crucial issues of the
project. the evaluation documented the practices regarding menstrual
management. Seventy two percent women reported to use rags during their
menstruation, 8 percent of them mentioned to use sanitary napkins and 11
percent encouraging as 82 percent rag users claim to wash them using
soap and water. The general practice of washing the rags was also found
highly encouraging as 82 percent women rages users claimed to get those
washed using soap and water.
More than 75 percent among the respondents who reported that their
families having adolescent girl in the households mentioned that the para
workers gave menstrual hygiene related message to their adolescent girls.
OVI 1.3 says that at least 20 percent of project wards/paras there is
evidence that at least 40 percent of adolescent girls receive menstrual
hygiene related information by Mid term review. Finding reveals that 57
percent in project paras the above 41 percent adolescent girls have
received menstrual hygiene messages. It indicates that the project activities
have achieved their target in this regards.
There are some general norms on menstrual management in almost all
communities in the CHT. Marma women do not cook food during
menstruation, the used rags must be kept out of sight because they believe
that if the male members see this rags that will be inauspicious for the
family. So they dept those rags or used cloths during menstruation out of
sight. There was a general tradition that during menstruation women had to
sleep on floor instead of bed since they are considered as impure. Buddhist
girls reported that their mothers forbid them to participate in social and
religious activities during menstruation.
Quality and activities of para workers :
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The perception of the community people towards the para workers and their
activities has investigated as part of this evaluation. Almost all the
community people reported that they know about activities of para worker in
the para.
The para workers are supposed to perform various kinds of activities in
implementing the project e.t. door-step visit, meetings with different
stakeholders, teaching pre-school students, visiting households, motivating
people to use hygienic latrine and washing hands, motivating people to safe
water use and management, courtyard meeting, household visit, providing
different message regarding water and sanitation, provide information on
menstrual management, etc. In addition, para workers could recall all the
health messages those were supposed to deliver. the reported number of
door-to-door visit within a month by a para worker is 4 times and the
average number of courtyard meeting organized in a month by the para
workers was 3.2.
Majority of the respondents of household category could recall the use full
health messages those were given by the para workers during the door-step
visit and community meeting. Only a few showed disapproval of the para
worker’s role. According to them para workers do not do their work properly
and that they are not available at para centers were children go for study.
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