education for youth empowerment (eye) program strategic document

8/18/2019 Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program Strategic Document

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2014-2016

Contact: Shahida BeProgram Director-ESave the ChildrenHouse CWN (A) 35

Road # 43, Gulshan-Dhaka-1212 Telepho+88 (0) 2 88 28 081

Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Progra

Strategic Docume


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List of Content

1. BASIC INFORMATION ........................................................................................................................... 5

1. PROGRAM SUMMARY (Maximum one page) ................................................................................... 6

2. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION..................................................................................................................... 8

3. BACKGROUND ..................................................................................................................................... 19

4. THE PROJECT ......................................................................................................................................... 24

5. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................. 35

6. PARTNERSHIP ......................................................................................................................................... 38

7. TARGET GROUP.................................................................................................................................... 39

8. RISKS ANALYSIS ..................................................................................................................................... 39

9. M&E, LEARNING, ACCOUNTABILITY AND FEEDBACK ......................................................... 39

10. RESULTS FRAMEWORK .................................................................................................................. 41

11. ORGANISATION AND ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................ 46

12. SUSTAINABILITY AND EXIT/PHASE OUT STRATEGY ........................................................ 47

13. BUDGET ............................................................................................................................................... 48

ANNEX 1: PROJECT BRIEFING .................................................................................................................. 49

ANNEX 2: DESCRIPTION OF PARTNER ORGANISATIONS ........................................................... 53

ANNEX 3: S RISK ASSESSESMENT ANALYSIS ...................................................................................... 57


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Abbreviations and Acronyms

BBS Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics BCC Behavioral Change Communication BSAF Bangladesh Shishu Adhikar Forum BTEB Bangladesh Technical Education Board

CAMPE Campaign for Popular Education CBO Community Based Organization CIDA Canadian International Development Agency CMC Compound Management Committee CoC Code of Conduct CSR Corporate Social responsibility DAM Dhaka Ahsania Mission DPEO District Primary Education Officer EFA Education for All EU European Union FGD Focus Group Discussion

ILO International Labour Organization INGO International Non- Government Organization JSS Junior Secondary SchoolMDG Millennium Development Goals MICS Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey MIS Management Information System MOLE Ministry of Labour and Employment MOPME Ministry of Primary and Mass Education MoU Memorandum of Understanding MOWCA Ministry of children and Women’s Affairs NCLEP National Child Labour Elimination Policy

NCTB National Curriculum and Text book Board NFPE Non Formal Primary Education NGOAB NGO Affairs Bureau NPA National Plan of Action NTVQF National Technical Vocational Qualification Framework OHS Occupational Health and Safety PMSC Project Management Steering Committee PPE Pre Primary Education PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper ROSC Reaching Out of School Children SC Save the Children

SFYP Sixth Five Years Plan SHARE Supporting the Hardest-to-reach through basic Education SIDA Swedish International Development Agency SMC School Managing Committee SUSTAIN Support Urban Slum Children to Access Inclusive Non-Formal Education TEO Thana Education Officer TFD Theatre for Development ToR Terms of Reference TVET Technical and Vocational Education and Training TWC Together with Working Children UNCRC United Nations Convention On the Rights of the Child UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNHCR United Nations High Commissioners Of Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children Fund


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WHO World Health Organization

EYE Program Map


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1. BASIC INFORMATION

Project (Award) Title: Education For Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program in Bangladesh

SCI SoF:20800144 Member Reference:

Save the Children Denmark

SCD Project ID:

761 292

Project duration: 2 years

Start date: January 1, 2014

End date: December 31, 2016

Thematic area: (in case of more thematic areas please provide the %) Education SCD thematic Objective(s) and outcome(s) to which this project contribute:

SCD thematic objective(s): To empower vulnerable youth in rural and urban areas through educationand training to become active economic, social and political citizens. SCD thematic outcome-1: Successful expansion of high-quality Education for Youth Empowermentprograms globally is strongly supported by Save the Children Denmark. SCD thematic outcome 2: Increased access of vulnerable young women and men in rural and urbansettings to decent work and self-employment through non-formal education, training, and employmentpromotion.

SCD thematic outcome 3: Vulnerable young women and men (12-24 years) are empowered tobecome active citizens accepted by their communities and respected in their country. SCD Area Representative: Signature Date:

SCI Approver: Signature: Date:

Project Manager:Shahida Begum

Contact information: House # CWN (A) 35, Road # 43. Gulshan-2,Dhaka 1212 Bangladesh,Tel +88-02-9861690, Fax +88-02-9886372, Mob +88 0171 327 9587, Skype: shahida.scsd,

[email protected]:

3 City Corporations: Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet 12 Districts and Upazila: Mymenshingh, Netrokona, Gazipur, Savar(Dhaka), Daudkandi, Bashkhali, Cox’s

Bazar, Hobiganj, Kurigram, Shatkhira, Chittagong and Bandarban in the Chittagong Hill Tracts

DANIDA Frame: 2 City Corporations: Dhaka and Chittagong and 4 districts of Comilla, Cox’s Bazar,Bandarban and Chittagong. Partner name(s):Nari Maître, CPD, SUF, SEEP, INCIDIN Bangladesh, UDDIPAN, BITA, Child Brigade (strategic) , Ain O’Shalish Kendra (ASK), UCEP Bangladesh, OWDEB, SOLIDARITY, HUS, AS and the Ministry of Labor andEmployment (MoLE).

DANIDA Frame Partners: Nari Maître, CPD, SUF, SEEP, INCIDIN Bangladesh, UDDIPAN, BITA,Child Brigade (strategic)

Networks: Together with Working Children (TWC) Child Brigade, Joint Child Labor Working Group(JCLWG), Adult Domestic Worker Forum (ADWF) Total project costs: USD 15:00 million for 3 years (2014-2016) Total Danida framework funding : USD 1.04 million (DKK 6 million) for 2 years

Other funding sources:Organization Financial contribution Secured/unsecured

DANIDA frame USD 1,041,750 Secured through 2015 European Union-SUSTAIN USD 3,917,103 Secured through 2017 European Union-CSR & CL USD 513,773 Secured through 2014 FINIDA- CSSP USD 750,000 Secured through 2016 Comic Relief USD 165,726 Unsecured: No cost ExtensionWorld Bank USD 1 million In the pipeline IKEA(corporation) USD 277,345 Secured through 2015 S’Oliver- Work 2Learn USD 350,625 Secured through 2016

mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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SRG, Netherlands USD 750,000 In the pipeline

1. PROGAM SUMMARY

Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world, with more than 150 million inhabitants. Thirty-

three percent of the population is aged 0-14 years, 18.8% is aged 15-24 years, and 37.6% is aged 25-54 years.

Statistics show that over 50% of the population is younger than 24 years old. The age structure of a populationaffects a nation's investment choices. Countries with young populations (below 24 years) need to invest more

in schools and market relevant vocational skills training. The age structure can also be used to help predict

potential political issues. For example, the rapid growth of a young adult population unable to find employment

can lead to unrest. Different studies show that unemployment rate is 3.6% whereas underemployment rate is

36% in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh’s Youth Policy defines youths to be those aged between 18 and 35 years old (BBS 2003), currently

over 38% of the population. Save the Children’s definition of youth is in line with the United Nations’ definition,

which considers those aged 15-24 years old to be youths. Using this definition, around 19% of Bangladesh’s

population is considered to be “youth”. This large youth population presents immense opportunities and

challenges, both because it represents so many people and because so many youths are unemployed.Unemployed youth account for more than 60% of the country’s total unemployed labor.

Due to rapid urbanization, child labor is an increasing problem in Bangladesh. About 7.4 million children aged 5-

17 work for pay, many under hazardous conditions (source: BBS 2002-03). They have limited access to quality

basic education, and vocational skills training for underprivileged working children barely exists in Bangladesh’s

current education system. Nearly 70% of working children are unable to take advantage of their basic right to

education. Only 8.2% of working children have access to mainstream schools. Over 60% of working children

are forced to drop out before completing their studies, mostly due to economic hardship.

Problems faced by working children and youth can be summarized as: i) inflexible and low quality formal basic

education, with high indirect basic education costs, and poor (but realistic) decision-making on the part of parents

who prioritize their children’s involvement in work over education; as a result, children often don’t meet the

requirements to enroll in TVET or higher education; ii) poor quality vocational skills training which rarely lead

to employment opportunities due to the gaps between the training offered and the needs of the job sector; iii)

limited opportunities for soft skills training as children and youths have limited access to establish social networks

and develop themselves outside of the classroom and their families, and many TVET institutions prioritize hard

skills like vocational skills training, not soft skills, which professionals need as well for their career development;

and iv) lack of awareness among stakeholders as they don’t understand the negative short-term impact of child

labor and don’t value the long term benefits of education.

However, employers need skilled workers. A base line survey conducted by Save the Children in 24 factoriesfound that managers in all the factories reckoned their production would benefit from having trained workers.

Most factories (79%) do not have apprenticeship training systems, but over 80% of the respondents said that

there is a lack of sufficient skilled labor in their workplaces.

Taking into account this context and situation, Save the Children developed the Education for YouthEmpowerment (EYE) Program which aims to transform the life outcomes of working children and vulnerableyouth in urban and rural Bangladesh. EYE is a comprehensive education model for getting working children andvulnerable youth into education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions that affect theirlives and advocate for their rights. The EYE Program is comprised of nine projects that each provides basiceducation, vocational training, and life skills education to young people in distinct life circumstances acrossBangladesh. The EYE Program completed Phase-1(2011-2013) and is currently deep into the planning process

for EYE Phase-2 (2014-2016). EYE Phase-2 has a child-rights based approach and is in line with Save theChildren’s global EYE strategy. EYE is part of Save the Children Bangladesh’s Education Program and wasinstituted not only as a response to the challenges facing urban working children but also in recognition of the


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The goal of the EYE program is to empower and improve the economic, social and political lives of vulnerablechildren and youth in urban and rural areas so that they can build better futures in Bangladesh. To achieve theoverall goal, the two objectives are: 1) Improved access to decent employment opportunities for workingchildren and vulnerable youth through quality basic education, market relevant vocational skills training and softskills training; 2) Children and youth are capable of becoming active citizens, and guardians are responsive toand respectful of the rights of working children and vulnerable youth. The outcomes are i) Child laborers aged

6-14 years leave hazardous work and complete quality primary education (up to grades 5 and 8) relevant totheir present and future life; ii) Increased age appropriate and decent employment opportunities for vulnerableyouth aged 14-24 years through access to market responsive quality TVET and entrepreneurial education; iii)Reduced vulnerability of targeted children and youth through receiving soft skills training to develop knowledgeand skills for survival in their jobs and society; iv) A responsive private sector towards fulfilling the rights ofworking children and youth; and v) In civil society, vulnerable children and youth are recognized in nationalpolicy formulation and implementation based on advocacy using research, documentation and effective practices.

The core program interventions strategies considered for Phase-2 are mainly i) Accelerated basic education for96,578 working children and youth who will complete grades 1-8; ii) After completion of basic education, 33,185children and youth will have access to decent employment opportunities through technical vocational educationand training (TVET) and will be placed in apprenticeships; iii) All targeted children and youth will gain life skills

and soft employability skills through children and youth clubs. Finally, at the end of Phase-2, 193,395 workingchildren and vulnerable youth will be empowered socially, politically and economically.

Partnership is the key foundation of the EYE Program. Building solid partnerships with a wide range ofstakeholders including local NGOs, the private sector, children’s clubs and networks, communities and thegovernment, allows Program staff to scale up interventions, to cover more beneficiaries, target additionalgeographical areas, and allows the Program to adapt methodologies to deliver quality inputs and outputs. TheEYE thematic strategy is to increase the operational and advocacy capacity of civil society organizationscollectively. The Program will implement the different projects with 15 partner organizations who together haveformed a networking and advocacy organization called Together with Working Children (TWC) which isworking to harness the specialized capabilities of members to achieve the greatest impact and scale up theProgram. Child led organizations will serve as platforms for children where children’s issues will be discussed;

children’s views, ideas and opinions will receive particular attention during the whole of Phase-2. The Programwill continue its work with the Government, especially the Ministry of Labor and Employment to formulate aNational CSR Policy for Children as well as effective implementation of NPA on NCLEP and NVQF.

Danida frame funding is the foundation of the EYE Program in Bangladesh. Danida funding supports have for

many years include non formal education, TVET and soft components (organization of children/youth in clubs,

where they receive livelihood education including knowledge about their rights and how to advocate for their

rights. It has also included capacity support to partners and advocacy. This work has yielded best practices in

providing education to child laborers and vulnerable youth, and Danida funding has been vital for the past

success of the EYE Program. With the support of Danida, Save the Children along with its partner NGOs

piloted innovative initiatives which were later implemented in other projects. These have included an

accelerated basic education model following the government curriculum; partnerships with corporations to

promote corporate social responsibility; developing the children’s and youth’s soft employability skills,

including career counseling and life skills; and children’s and youth clubs. The EYE Program Phase -II (2014-) has

been developed taking into account past experience with Save the Children’s Danida-funded projects. During

phase II under basic education component, DANIDA frame funding will provide junior secondary education

(grades 6-8) for graduates of grade 5 from SUSTAIN and ROSC-II projects, and will work with the govt.

education authorities to mainstream urban working children as well as to ensure govt. services by establishing

linkages and building their capacity. As a part of TVET, the project will address the rural TVET, provide quality

TVET for urban working youth, and importantly will provide funding to advocate with the government,

especially the NVQF department, to include soft skills in Bangladesh’s TVET system as they are also not

included at present. This funding will also support working children and vulnerable youth to establish socialnetworks through child and youth clubs. Finally, the DANIDA frame funding will serve as “glue” to pull the

work of the other projects together and will serve as the foundation for the EYE Program while enhancing


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The total budget for EYE phase-II is USD 15 million for 3 years from January 2014-December 2016. Danida will

contribute USD 1.4 million (DKK 6 million) for two years, January 2014- December 2015.

2. PROJECT JUSTIFICATION

2.1. Problems and Causality analysisThe following problems and their causes will be addressed through the implementation of the EYE ProgramPhase-2.

2.1.1. Limited access to basic education for underprivileged urban working children and youth laborers,low retention rate in completion of primary school certificate:Child labor and education are directly linked. Nearly 50 percent of primary school students in Bangladeshdropout before they complete grade five, and then gravitate towards work, increasing the number of childlaborers. The high dropout rates are correlated with the low quality of public primary education and low adultliteracy, less awareness on the part of parents about the importance of education, high teacher-student ratio(which can be as high as 1 teacher per 100 students), and the high cost of education for many poor Bangladeshiparents. Even though primary education is free as far as tuition fees and textbooks are concerned, there aremany indirect costs including transport, uniforms, pens, pencils, paper, and notebooks. As a result, poorguardians find it hard to let their children continue their education. Furthermore, basic education is the pre-requisite qualification for gaining access to vocational training and higher education. Nearly 70% of workingchildren and youth do not benefit from their basic right to education. Only 8.2% of child and youth laborershave access to mainstream in both Govt. and non-govt. formal schools. The root causes of the problems are:

a) Insufficient access to education for working children and youth in urban and rural areas:There is a significant gap between the provision of primary education (affecting children between 6 and 10 yearsof age) to children residing in rural and urban non-slum areas and those residing in slum areas. Slum children,especially working children, are extremely marginalized and lack sufficient access to basic education. With a netenrollment for primary school aged children of 93.9% (GoB 2010), Bangladesh is on track to meet the target of100% net enrollment in primary education set in MDG 2. However, only 54.9% of the children enrolled in grade

1 reach grade 5. The Multi Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2009) data suggests that only around 27% of the slumareas in Bangladesh have a governmental school within their catchment area due to limited education servicesby the Government. Primary net enrollment rates in formal schools in the urban slums were around 40%(CREATE October 2010). In the 2009 MICS (UNICEF, 2010), the primary net attendance rate in slums ofBangladesh’s cities averaged 65%, compared to 81% nationally. Secondary attendance was only 18% in slums,and dropout and repetition rates were higher than elsewhere.

In addition, private expenditure at primary and secondary levels is so high that it places the poor at a seriousdisadvantage. Some of the major educational costs at government primary schools include stationary, uniformsand lunch. Private expenditure at the primary level at government schools constitutes about 59% of the totalstudent expenditure and 67% at the secondary level (Ahmad et al, 2006).

b) Lack of preparedness and support for poor children’s education:

Most of the parents and employers of working children have little knowledge about the importance of education,child development, the importance of a child friendly environment, positive discipline, child protection, children’srights and relevant governmental policies. The parents and guardians of working children are often ill-preparedthemselves to equip their children to become productive citizens, and, due to the family’s need for money tosurvive, poor parents often expect their children to be wage earners rather than students. The impact of workunder difficult conditions on a child’s physical and mental well-being is often of little concern to their guardians,and hazardous work conditions are often considered to be acceptable apprenticeships.

c) Inflexible and low quality formal basic education:Most primary and secondary schools have a rigid and centralized timetable that makes it difficult for parents tosend their children to school during particular seasons. For example, urban working children need access toflexible schooling, as some employers may allow children to attend school in the morning while others may

permit working children to attend only in the afternoon. Rural working children need flexible school hoursespecially during the harvesting seasons when their parents need extra assistance. Learning provisions andfacilities at both the primary and secondary levels are inadequate There are too few classrooms and teachers


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government primary schools. More than 90% of schools run double shifts (DPE & MOPME, 2008). High PTRsmake it difficult for classrooms to be inclusive and responsive to the different abilities of students. In thegovernment primary schools, teacher-pupil contact hours are very limited.

d) Limited support for working children to reach grade 5:Most of the working children and youth who are enrolled in primary education either through formal or non-

formal schools are unable to participate in the Primary School Certificate (PSC) examination due to insufficientsupport from their families and the schools. This is a key indicator which is overlooked by most educationservice providers. To pass this public examination, the students need extra support from their family, theiremployers and schools. It is often difficult for the family to support their children to ensure they receive a highquality education as most of these children are the first generation of students in their families. The employersare also reluctant to provide extra support for the working children to pass the leaving examination and continuefurther education.

e) Parents and guardians prioritize children’s involvement in work over education:Working or slum children cannot continue their studies as their parents do not understand the long-termimportance of education in their children’s lives. Parents take into consideration the opportunity costs (foregonebenefits of child labor including the time spent going to, from and at school that could otherwise be spent

working) when deciding on their child’s education. Parents often decide to withdraw their child, particularlygirls, if the distance and time spent going to and from school is too long, engaging them instead in householdeconomic activities. In particular seasons when the roads are in poor condition and unsafe, parents are reluctantto send their children to school. A survey showed that approximately 5.2% of girls aged 6-14 never enrolledbecause school was too far from their homes; 6.4% of children who had never enrolled said that the road toschool was too insecure (Ahmed et al, 2005). The main reasons given by parents for sending their children towork was that children can supplement their family earnings and education costs are expensive. No significantdifferences are seen between rural and urban areas. Hence, either the parents are making short term financialdecisions based on income needs or they do not think that there is much economic value in sending theirchildren to school. Poor parents are more inclined to engage their children in work because they will gainincome generating skills on the job rather than in an educational system which is far too academic.

f) Lack of community engagement in children education:The community engagement in education is essential in order to ensure quality basic education for all schoolaged children regardless of their socio-economic context. The local community, employers and parents play asignificant role in establishing and operating education centers/schools in their community. Communityparticipation is particularly significant at the primary level but community engagement is very low in both urbanand rural areas as communities are not aware of the importance of children’s education or children’s rights,don’t feel ownership of the school, and lack the ability as a community to mobilize local resources. The formationof school management committees is an important way in which community involvement is being promoted,but often appropriate persons are excluded from the committees due to local power dynamics and their heavyengagement in own livelihood options.

g) Indirect education costs and absence of stipends for urban poor children:

The Government of Bangladesh has declared primary education (basic education) compulsory for all childrenand has provided stipends to the children of poor and extremely poor families in rural areas as pergovernment social safety net program, which implies less prioritu to urban children. . However, hard-to-reachurban slum children are not offered the stipend to offset the “hidden” costs of education. Moreover, in urbanareas, the formal school authority is requiring that all children enrolled in formal school after havingcompleted one year PPE and two or three years of non-formal primary education (NFPE) courses. In addition,there are many costs including school uniforms and educational tools that must be paid alongside the hiddentuition fees. In rural Bangladesh, hard to reach children can use the stipend they receive to cover theseeducation expenses. But since the urban poor do not benefit from this stipend, many parents of urbanworking children cannot afford the cost of education and their children drop out before completing grade 5.

h) Lack of interest in education by children due to exhaustion from their workload and/or discrimination due to their low

socio-economic status:The urban working children are street children, domestic workers and children working in the informal sectormostly in hazardous conditions They are forced to work from morning to evening; the working hours are


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hazardous tasks they are expected to perform. They do not have the opportunity to eat nutritious food, theylack time and money for leisure, and endure difficult employers. Their family’s need for income and their heavyworkload means they have little time or interest in education.

i) Poor quality and unskilled teachers:Teachers are an important part of any education provision. The success or failures of non-formal education

depends largely on committed and well-trained teachers. In order to meet the needs of working, urban children,it is important to provide them with teachers who are familiar with the needs and constraints of urban workingchildren, child rights, and child psychology, and can provide child-friendly teaching instruction. There are veryfew teachers in Bangladesh who can meet their needs.

2.1.2. Limited access to market relevant quality vocational skills training for underprivileged workingchildren and youth:The technical vocational education and training (TVET) system in Bangladesh is relatively small. After sitting thegrade eight Junior School Certificate Examination (JSC), students can choose to go into vocational streams. Ofabout eight million students enrolled in secondary schools, only 250,000 are enrolled in vocational education(3%). The technical-vocational education system in Bangladesh has been severely under-financed, receiving onaverage 3% of the education budget during the past decades. As a result, the existing TVET system lacks quantity,

relevance and quality. Not only is its output minimal related to employers’ needs, the relevance of its programsand the poor quality of its graduates is reflected in the meager employment opportunities offered graduates. ATracer Study involving more than 2,300 TVET graduates showed that only about 9% of the total respondentswere employed (7.5% wage-employed; 1.5% self-employed), 44% went on to further studies, and 47% wereunemployed (World Bank, 2006). The root causes of the problem are:

a) Limited access for child laborers:There is limited access to vocational skills training for underprivileged working children and youth in the existingeducation system. In Bangladesh, there are about 304 public and 2,400 private Technical-Vocational TrainingInstitutes but they often lack proper policies and guidelines on TVET. Child laborers do not have access to mostof these institutions, as they do not meet the pre-qualification requirements for enrollment.

b)

Lack of quality TVET:Youth employment could be a key driver of Bangladesh’s economic development, but due to the scarcity ofquality TVET on offer, the youth lack key skills demanded by the workforce. Quality TVET is necessary to ensurethe country’s competitiveness in the global labor market, and ensure decent and dignified work for all. Thevocational training on offer is often of poor quality and rarely leads to employment opportunities. There arehuge gaps between the training offered and the demands of the job sector. A proper market survey or feasibilitystudy showing the actual situation of the labor market and employers’ needs doesn’t exist. The lack of an up-to-date curriculum and equipment to support TVET also hinders quality TVET. Employment opportunities areextremely limited for TVET graduates as linkages between NGOs providing training and private sectorcompanies providing jobs have only been recently established.

c) Lack of awareness among parents and children regarding the importance of TVET:

Child and youth laborers and their parents will often not immediately see the benefit of vocational skills trainingas it takes time away from working, thereby diminishing family incomes. There is no clear career developmentpathway nor is there a way to ensure that training is based on each child and youth ’s interest. Parents oftenengage their children in “apprenticeships” in the informal market where they are exploited; apprentices in theinformal market receive low wages, little training and even less guidance from employers.

d) Absence of official recognition of TVETTraining centers provide the graduates with a certificate as proof of their training, but this certification is notrecognized by the Bangladesh Technical Education Board. Official recognition is important to raise the status ofvocational training in the eyes of child and youth laborers and their parents and also to make workers possessingthis certification more attractive to employers.

e)

No proper linkage with training and job placement: After training it is very important to link the trainees with jobs. But there is no proper system today that linksTVET institutions and industry.


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Quality vocational training can provide children and youth laborers with decent job opportunities. One way toevaluate if a job is decent is to measure whether it meets CSR guidelines. CSR for children is important in thatit emphasizes the achievement of responsible behavior through voluntary means. Informal sector companieswhere many children are employed are generally operating outside the law and have not adopted practices thatare in line with CSR. In the formal sector, Save the Children has refined a model for working with CSR forchildren in the garments and textile industry in Bangladesh. But in a base line survey conducted by Save the

Children, only four of the surveyed factories noted that they have a corporate social responsibility policy. Ofthese, 46% of the companies mentioned that they expected that the practice of CSR and compliance will increasetheir business opportunities. Nearly 90% of local manufacturers depend on local suppliers, but over 90% offactories are unaware whether their local suppliers employ underage or child laborers.

The major causes and consequences of the problems are:

a) Improper definition of CSR:Due to the lack of an appropriate definition for CSR, it has been observed that different companies or sectorsdefine CSR from their own perspective. As a result, the ultimate benefits from these so called CSR practices donot usually support the development of children and youth. However, internationally, consumers are demandingthat organizations be more socially responsible. Organizations in both the public and private sector need todefine CSR practices in a uniform fashion in order to receive the economic benefits from a socially responsiblepolicy.

b) Lack of a common understanding on the rights of child labor:Most child laborers working under hazardous conditions are engaged mostly in the informal sector. There is adirect link between the formal and informal sectors in their supply chain which the owners of formal sectorfactories are reluctant to acknowledge. Child labor may not be observed in most of the formal sectorfactories but few companies have information regarding their suppliers’ employment practices. Bangladesh is avery populated country and according to UNICEF, 13 % of children in Bangladesh are still involved in childlabor.1 There is a close link between child labor and poverty and so it is not a straightforward task to abolishchild labor from all sectors in Bangladesh. Realistically, if child laborers are barred from one sector, they maybe compelled through necessity to go to another sector to earn a living without having proper solution. Mostparents earn a too low income to provide for the families is one of the key concerns to increase child labourand there are limited opportunities to explore the possibilities of linking up to Local Government schemes. Regarding child labor issues, company owners should be honest, transparent and accountable towards theirbusiness and society. However in most cases they ignore the informal sector and don’t acknowledge the childlaborers who work in the factories where they subcontract out business. Most company owners in the formalsector refuse to engage youth of 15-18 years as apprentices as they believe that employing youths aged lessthan 18 years old may hamper their business.

c) Limited knowledge about Bangladesh Labor Act 2006 (amendment in 2013) and relevant ILO conventions:Quality vocational skills training depends on real on-the-job training experience in industry. Save the Childrenhas developed a TVET curriculum based on industry requirements with approved competences by the BTEBwith a clear division of courses: 70% of the total courses completed at the training institute and 30% of the total

courses completed while working as a trainee. However, many companies in the formal sector are reluctant toengage youth as apprentices due to: i) age barrier (under 18 years of age), ii) too few working hours (theproduction chain has been developed on an 8 hour schedule, so 5 hours a day slows down their wholeproduction chain), iii) there are no master craftsmen in the industry to guide and teach the apprenticeship.These concerns are raised due to employers possessing insufficient information about Labor Act 2006(amendment in 2013), ILO convention 182 and 138 as well as education policy 2010.

d) Industry does not offer employment to young people:

The industry does not offer employment to young people due to a weak understanding of child labor among

corporations, consumers and other major stakeholders. This reduces job opportunities in the formal sector for

youth, especially young girls. However, young people often do find employment opportunities in unsafe

environments in the informal sector, where their youth is not considered a problem by the employers. Due to

the textile and garment industry’s general lack of knowledge and ability to handle ch ild labor problemsresponsibly and implement CSR in the formal sector, adolescents lack access to quality technical vocational


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education training and job placement under safe conditions.

d) No structured courses in the industry for skill development:The Ready Made Garment Sector (RMG) or the textile and clothing (T&C) industry in Bangladesh has seentremendous growth over the last 20 years. Today, the sector is Bangladesh’s most important manufacturingsector in terms of export income generation and employment. Generally, in the ready-made garment factories,

un-skilled workers develop their skills through on-the-job experience. As few TVET institutes supply these on-the-job skills, it is very important to develop structured courses relevant to the RMG and T&C industry.

e) Apprenticeships are not institutionalized in the industry:Bangladesh today has 50 million workers with 3-4 million people entering the labor market every year. Thereare only around 600 formal apprentices in the labor market. ‘Learning by doing’ is still the predominant method by which new entrants gain skills. The value of formal apprenticeships has not yet been realized by employers.

2.1.4. Limited access for children and youth to have influence on decisions regarding their own lives

a) Limited scope for visibility in the family, schools and the society:

Many children and youth engaged in hazardous work lack visibility in their family, their community and in their

schools. Their work is controlled by the employers, and as such working children and youth become habituated

to obey the employers’ instructions; they are usually unable to express their feelings about work conditions to

their employers. Traditional family values and the political culture in Bangladesh mean that children are often

prevented from making decisions that impact their own lives. Different studies show that children are engaged

in work by force or as a result of decisions taken by their parents. Children do not have their own space in

society where they can become empowered and active citizens.

b) Limited access to establish social networks and develop themselves outside the classroom and their families:

Hazardous work can have a damaging effect on the lives and future development of the children and youth who

are engaged in it. These children and youth have limited access to establish social networks and develop

themselves outside the classroom and their families. Children’s and youth clubs can help working children make

friends, establish social networks and provide a space where they can maintain social connections. However,underprivileged working children and youths are unable to take advantage of the activities and training offered

in children’s and youth clubs, the centerpiece of many development initiatives. While youth groups have been

an important part of children’s education development initiatives, they have not been central to project’s

working the area of children’s rights. However, children’s and youth clubs could be important networking

centers for working children and youths. They can be important knowledge centers in the communities, which

in the longer term will support the children and youth as they work to equip themselves to take on jobs that

offer a decent and safe standard of living.

c) Limited opportunities of soft skills training for children and youth:

Soft skills can provide vulnerable children with confidence and self-reliance, life skills that are very important for

them to manage their lives and cope with the hazards that they face in the workplace. Knowledge regarding theChild Rights Convention (CRC) can make them more effective communicators in regards to their rights and

increase their confidence to function in society. However, these soft skills are rarely taught in training facilities

and most children don’t know their rights under the CRC. Many working children and youth experience

difficulties when they transition from the informal sector workplace to the formal sector because they do not

understand the importance of vital soft skills such as being on time for work, maintaining discipline, calling in

when they are ill, and getting along with co-workers. Many TVET institutions prioritize hard skills like vocational

skills training, rather than soft skills, which professionals need for their career development and, ultimately, to

succeed in the workplace. Both soft skills and hard skills are essential for a person to gain personal and

professional experiences, which are prerequisites to get a decent job as well as help them leadership

development, decision making and social networking. .2.1.5. Lack of appropriate laws and policies and proper policy implementation towards empowerment

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accountability in both the formal and informal sector economies and thus little incentive to implement the

initiatives. Initiatives include the National Child Labor Elimination Policy 2010 (NCLEP), National Plan of Action

to implement NCLEP, and a list of approved and worst forms of child labor. However, while Bangladesh has

very effective policies on paper, there is little political will and limited capacity for implementation.

In addition, the government-formulated National Education Policy and social safety net programs (Primary

School Stipend Program and Secondary School Stipend Program) aiming to increase enrollment and retention

rates but doing little to improve the quality of education are of great concern. The government-formulated

National Skills Development Policy as well as a national vocational education quality framework (NVEQF) is still

at the infant stage in terms of taking into account underprivileged working children and youth. It is also unclear

exactly how stakeholders will perceive and implement the NVEQF.

In 2012, Save the Children and the Ministry of Labor and Employment signed a letter of agreement (LOA) to

formulate a national CSR policy for children. A child-focused CSR policy is required to bring corporations,

development agencies, training institutions and the government under one common framework which is missing

now. Realizing this, the government has taken the lead with Save the Children providing technical support.

Corporations’ commitment is vital to formulate an effective CSR policy for children.

2.2. Relation to relevant government strategies

Policies developed as part of Save the Children’s EYE Program are reflected in government strategies. In the

Sixth Five Year Plan 2011-2015 (SFYP), the Government of Bangladesh adopted Vision 2021 in recognition of

long term development challenges. The government has also set a Perspective Plan 2010-2021 to transform

Bangladesh from a low income country to the first stage of a middle income country. To implement Vision 2021,

the government developed the Sixth Five Year Plan focusing on strategies, policies and institutions to guide the

private sector in helping Bangladesh achieve the goals set in Vision 2021. The SFYP includes the following

strategies which are relevant to the EYE Program.

Poverty and child labor: In recent times, poverty has been increasingly inhibiting children from going on tohigher education. Children from poor families have fewer chances to access schools especially at the secondarylevel, as many of them are engaged in work and are struggling for survival. The Government of Bangladeshconsiders the elimination of child labor to be one of its most important priorities to make Bangladesh moreprosperous and improve the living standards of its people. Effective measures should be taken to eliminate childlabor, especially its worst and hazardous forms, through the formulation and implementation of the NationalPlan of Action for Implementation of the NCLEP 2010. Based on the priority areas set out in the NCLEP 2010,the Ministry of Labor and Employment will coordinate and lead the National Plan of Action implementationprocess.

Education Targets and Strategy: Vision 2021 and Education Policy 2010 provide the framework fordetermining the objectives, priorities and strategies for the education sector in the Sixth Plan. Universal primary

education, extending this stage to grade 8; elimination of illiteracy; removing the education gap between thepoor and rich, creating a new generation equipped with technical skills and scientific knowledge; betterremunerations for teachers; and overall improvement of quality and equity in education are key education goalsset out in Vision 2021.

Access, dropout and equity issues: The Government recognizes that there are still many challenges to enhanceaccess at all levels in the secondary and higher education sector. The national secondary enrollment rate is 45%,which means that 55% of all secondary school age children in Bangladesh do not make the transition to secondaryschool.

Quantitative goal: The main objective is to increase the rate of enrollment of school age children by focusing onboth new enrollment and completion rates. Action will be taken to improve secondary and higher education.

To achieve this quantitative goal, the government will provide stipends and other financial support to the poor,especially to female students to encourage enrollment, retention and completion and will establish technicalschools at the Upazila level.


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major strategic interventions will be: i) modernization of curricula, texts, pedagogy and examination techniques.More importance will be given to science and mathematics at the secondary level; ii) introduction of informationand communication technology (ICT) and technical education at all secondary levels, while encouraging equalparticipation of girls in technical education; iii) providing subsidies to create demand for education in favor ofthe poor girls; iv) introduction of technical and vocational trades in madrasa education.

Higher labor force growth and ensuring labor quality: The government has recognized that, due todemographic factors, the young will continue to enter the labor force. The strategy is to take advantage of thisdemographic dividend through a well-articulated human development strategy. The quality of the labor force isweak due to limited access and low quality of education. The Sixth Plan will seek to address these challenges bydeveloping and implementing a well thought out education and training strategy. The strategy will be to designand implement a range of social protection programs that meet the needs of these underprivileged groups. Inthis regard, existing programs will be reviewed and reformed with a view to ensuring that all underprivilegedgroups including the disabled, the elderly, the tribal population, and children and women at risk are given priorityin the distribution of benefits. Particular attention will be given to strengthening the underlying institutions.

Job creation and rebalancing of employment: With the labor force growing by 3.2% per year and the very highlevel of underemployment in the farm and informal services sectors, creation of new jobs in the productive,

formal sectors of the economy will be a major challenge under the plan. The growth strategy and the underlyingsectoral shift projected in the Plan aim to address the employment issue by creating new jobs in the nonfarmsector and by rebalancing employment away from agriculture and into more productive sectors of the economy.

Education and training: In the SFYP the government has emphasized empowering people with skills and knowledgeand giving them access to productive employment in the future, focusing on youth development. Humanresources development is at the core of Bangladesh's development efforts and access to quality education iscritical to poverty reduction and economic development.

Technical Education: The government is looking to: i) increase the enrollment in technical education from6% (currently) to 25% within the next 15 years; ii) introduce technical and vocational courses in secondary,higher secondary and madrasa levels; iii) introduce SSC vocational courses; iv) introduce a double shift in the

existing technical schools, colleges and polytechnic institutes; v) undertake a skills development project;vi)continue skills development projects and vii) establish one technical school in every Upazila.

To address concerns, the government has established the National Skill Development Council (NSDC) as thebody responsible for policy formulation on skills development with representation from the government,employers, workers and civil society. A national skills development policy has been approved under the Council.This policy attempts to address the issues raised above and proposes to strengthen the Bangladesh TechnicalEducation Board as a quality assurance mechanism. Informal and traditional apprenticeships and on-the-jobexperience are the means for creating most of the skills that keep the economy running. A master craftsman,himself having inherited skills from his father or another "master," trains his assistants in exchange for free laboror a reduced wage, producing such skills as welding, turning, bricklaying, carpentry, furniture making, electricalmaintenance, plumbing, bicycle repair, motor repair and so on. Not enough is known about the system and its

strengths and weaknesses. An attempt to bring the system under official regulation may not be a good idea.However, the Plan will suggest the need to maintain an overview of the system and consider how thegovernments and private sector’s more formal training programs can complement and supplement the informalsystem and enhance the effectiveness of nationwide skill generation.

2.3. Relation to the Country Program Strategy

The Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program is part of Save the Children’s Education Program and

was instituted not only as a response to the challenges facing urban working children, but also in recognition of

the potential that they have to contribute to the country’s socio-economic development. Save the Children’s

Education Program in Bangladesh is the largest program portfolio in the country and is recognized as a leader

in education globally. This portfolio is comprised of large-scale education programs as well as a number of

various pilot projects and research initiatives which are implemented by its three sub-thematic programs; EarlyChildhood Care and Development (ECCD), Basic Education, and Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) in

43 districts across the country The EYE Program in Bangladesh is in line with Save the Children’s global EYE


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2.4. Relation to SCD thematic objectives/outcomes

How the Bangladesh EYE Program will contribute to achieve the SCD thematic objectives and outcomes: Save the

Children’s Bangladesh Education for Youth Empowerment (EYE) Program is directly linked and contributes to

the SCD EYE thematic objectives and outcomes due to its holistic, demand driven and sustainable approach.

The overall objective of Bangladesh EYE programs is that “vulnerable children and youth in urban and rural areas

are economically, socially and politically empowered to build better futures” which is very much in line with

SCD EYE thematic goals.

Many innovative initiatives like an accelerated education model for working children, partnerships with civil

society and corporations, and soft skills, including manuals, will be tested and piloted. The grass roots evidence

of Bangladesh’s EYE Program will contribute to strengthen the global EYE strategy which is led by SCD. EYE -

Phase II will gather more in depth knowledge on urban programming, the provision of quality TVET based on

industry requirements and needs, the NVQF, rural TVET, national advocacy to formulate a National CSR Policy

for Children, and accreditation of the TVET curriculum. This will directly contribute to achieve Save the Children

Denmark’s thematic outcome-1: “successful expansion globally of high-quality Education for Youth

Empowerment Programs”. Through the EYE Program, child laborers and vulnerable youth are getting access toa comprehensive age-specific education that includes quality basic education, vocational education, and market

relevant training. This training ensures that at least 70% of the beneficiaries will be able to get a job that offers

a decent future within corporations that offer a safe work environment. The interventions, teaching both hard

and soft skills, will contribute to achieve SCD’s thematic outcome-2: “increased access of vulnerable young

women and men in rural and urban settings to decent work and self-employment through non-formal education,

training, and employment promotion”. The children will learn how to organize themselves and advocate for

their rights. In addition, the vast majority of the children will enhance their social networks and life skills. The

soft skills, community engagement and national level advocacy component will contribute to achieve the SCD

thematic outcome-3 “vulnerable young women and men (12-24 years) are empowered to become active citizens

accepted by their communities and nations”.

How Danida framework funding will add value to the EYE Program: Taking into consideration the diversity among

working children and vulnerable youth, the context, and current situation of education and vocational education,

the EYE Program will use a number of different strategies to achieve the project’s aims. The EYE Program will

address the insufficient provision of basic education for working children in urban areas and increase the quality

of TVET on offer for children and youth in both urban and rural areas. Through the Danida grant, the EYE

Program will provide a comprehensive education model for providing working children and vulnerable youth

with quality education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions that affect their lives and

advocate for their rights.

Danida funding supports have for many years include non formal education, TVET and soft components

(organization of children/youth in clubs, where they receive livelihood education including knowledge about

their rights and how to advocate for their rights. It has also included capacity support to partners and

advocacy.As described above, this work has yielded best practices in providing education to this specific target

group, and Danida funding has been vital for the past success of the EYE Program. With the support of Danida,

Save the Children along with its partner NGOs piloted innovative initiatives which were later implemented in

other projects. Different approaches and interventions were tested in order to provide quality comprehensive

education programs. These have included an accelerated basic education model following the government

curriculum; partnerships with corporations to promote corporate social responsibility; developing the children’s

and youth’s soft employability skills, including career counseling and life skills; and children’s and youth clubs.

The SUSTAIN project, supported by the European Union, was developed as a result of Save the Children’s

experience providing an accelerated education model for working children. Based on that experience, the WorldBank came forward to replicate an urban children’s education model through the Government’s ROSC II pilot

initiatives Based on Save the Children’s previous program experience and with support from Danida education


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also going to be replicated by the World Bank’s ROSC II pilot initiatives.

The EYE Program Phase-II 2014-2016 has been developed taking into account past experience with Save the

Children’s DANIDA-funded projects. As part of Save the Children’s EYE Program development for phase-II, the

different program components were critically evaluated. This included evaluating the provision of basic

education, TVET, and soft skills in consultation with children, youths, and partner NGOs. Save the Childrenfound a number of areas where new aspects and innovative ideas can be tested . DANIDA framework funding

will contribute to the overall EYE Program in Bangladesh as a glue to help piloting these new ideas, in

combination with other funding sources, including the EU and corporations. Other funds are very restricted

with very little latitude given to pilot and test different innovative ideas as well as to address the needs and

constraints of the working children and youth education to provide decent employment opportunities.

Moreover, most of the other donors focus on building programs taking into account previous experience and

evidence. Under the basic education component, DANIDA frame funding will address the gap in junior

secondary education (grades 6-8) for graduates of grade five from the SUSTAIN and ROSC-II projects, and will

work with government education authorities to mainstream urban working children as well as to ensure

government services by establishing linkages and building their capacity. As part of TVET, DANIDA frame funding

will address the gaps in rural TVET, which are missing from all development agendas, provide quality TVET for

urban working children and youth, and importantly will provide funding to advocate with the government,

especially the NVQF department, to include soft skills in Bangladesh’s TVET system as they are also not included

at present. This funding will also support working children and vulnerable youth to establish social networks

through children’s and youth clubs. These opportunities don’t exist today but are very important for the

children’s and youth social, political and economic empowerment. Finally, the DANIDA frame funding will serve

as “glue” to pull the work of the other projects together and will serve as the foundation for the EYE Program,

while enhancing the capacity of civil society and government agencies. As a result, more children and youth who

are deprived of their rights to education and decent employment will be reached.

2.5. Justification for the continuation of Phase-2:The second phase of the Education for Youth Empowerment Program aims to transform the life outcomes of

working children and vulnerable youth in urban and rural Bangladesh. The EYE Program phase-1 was designed

based on 15 years of working experience on child labor issues in Bangladesh. During the implementation of

phase-1, the EYE Program tested and piloted many initiatives including an accelerated education model for urban

working children, apprenticeships, safe jobs for vulnerable youths with vocational skills, and partnerships with

corporations. The concept of technical vocational education and training was also developed along with manuals

to teach soft skills. Together, these interventions have functioned as a proven model to help children and

vulnerable youth out of hazardous work and into either education or decent employment, enabling them to

have influence on decisions regarding their own lives. The EYE Program in Bangladesh has gradually expanded

by including a number of innovative approaches. Today the EYE Program is implemented by 15 partner NGOs

organized in a joint partners’ network named Together with Working Children. As such, the EYE Program hasthe ability to scale up to meet the needs of more underprivileged children and adolescents in urban and rural

areas. The work begun in the last phase of the EYE Program to empower working children and youth will be

scaled up in phase-2 through many new initiatives in the context of urban programming as well as rural TVET.

2.6. Rationale for partner engagement:

Strong partnerships are a key strength on which the success of the EYE Program is built. Save the Children has

built solid partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders including local NGOs, the private sector, children’s

clubs and networks, communities and the government. Building on these strong partnerships is part of the EYE

Program’s strategy as it scales up the Program’s interventions, to cover more beneficiaries, target additional

geographical areas, and allows the program to adapt methodologies to deliver quality inputs and outputs.

2.7. Key reasons to implement programs jointly with partners and SC:

Joint program development and monitoring is one the key drivers of success of the EYE Program The EYE


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NGOs represent civil society at the local and national levels. They have solid and long working experience in

terms of local context and offer quality delivery of education and TVET for the most marginalized children and

children laborers. They also have a strong platform based on grass root evidence to support advocacy at the

national level. A wide range of partnerships are being considered, including children and youth, their parents,

corporations and government. Partnering with diverse stakeholders has played a significant role in the success

of the EYE Program. Corporations, for example, can identify the existing gap between industry requirementsand the TVET provided, and provide monitoring to indicate when that gap is closed. Civil society can coordinate

and facilitate the cooperation between the partners, implement the program based on local realities, and choose

existing NGO partners that have the capacity to deliver quality services to the children. The community is

engaged in advocating for children, against harmful child labor practices, and monitoring workplaces to ensure

they are safe. Finally, children and youths are engaged to advocate for their rights in the workplace.

Save the Children's role is equally important to the success of the EYE Program. A number of projects are

implemented as part of the EYE Program to help the Program achieve its goals. The EYE Program has developed

a common log frame with one vision and common indicators to measure the objectives and outcomes of the

program. Partners implement a single project with very specific targets and outcomes that are ultimately

contributing to the achievement of the EYE Program's goals. Save the Children is playing a strategic role to bringall lessons learned, challenges, and achievements under one umbrella to measure the success of the EYE

Program. NGOs do not provide an equal level of service and the level of understanding the EYE Program differs

among partners. Save the Children is working to build partners' capacity on institutional development, helping

them deliver quality programming and providing management support in order to maintain the same high

standard of delivery across the Program. Save the Children provides technical assistance to the partners to

improve program quality and serves as a bridge between local partners and the government so that local partners

have easy access to government and share their grass-roots evidence at the national level.

A number of management initiatives have been taken to create common understanding about the program.

These include a project management steering committee where representatives from partners and Save the

Children are the members and take joint decisions. Partner networks like TWC plays a vital role with Save the

Children and partners sharing the best practices, challenges, mitigation strategy and action plan for national level

advocacy. Taking into account the current situation as explained above, it is important to implement the EYE

Program jointly by the partners and Save the Children.

2.8. Key Stakeholders

The partner NGOs (PNGOs) are implementing all interventions related to the provision of education, TVET,

children and youth clubs, soft skills and involvement of local stakeholders based on their existing work

experience with the stakeholders and their geographical focus. Save the Children will coordinate the overall

implementation process, including quality assurance, technical support to PNGOs and progress monitoring, and

will furthermore take the lead on national level advocacy, based on the local level experience of the PNGOs.

Children and youth who are currently engaged in hazardous work as well as children at risk of becoming child

laborers are the target group and long-term beneficiaries of the EYE Program. They are the recipients of the

EYE Program’s different services and will be actively engaged in child-led advocacy actions and sensitization

sessions and in other project activities. The active involvement of the children will increase their ownership

towards the EYE Program activities and will increase their motivation to continue their education and acquire

the TVET and soft skills needed for social and political empowerment. Through children’s and youth clubs,

children and youth are involved in the full project cycle from the design to implementation of the program,

individual career plans, child-led advocacy as well as monitoring and evaluation through project steering

committee consultations with children's club members. Parents and employers are instrumental in the children’s

education and development. Their capacity will be increased as they participate in parenting education and

through their engagement in the implementation of the project through participation in the compound


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parents and employers so that they understand the value and need for education and will allow the children

and youth to attend the classes and vocational training.

The NFPE teachers, child club facilitators, TVET instructors and project staff are also key stakeholders. All

assigned teachers, instructors and facilitators will improve their teaching and their management skills through

participating in various relevant training on teaching learning methods, pedagogy, industry-based training, and

institution-based technical training. Members of the community, including local government (Union, ward)

representatives, NGO staff, religious leaders and businesspeople will play an important role in influencing the

employers, formal schools' and local education authorities to remove obstacles for child and youth laborers to

attend formal education and other alternative education like TVET. They will be invited as part of the child-led

advocacy campaigns to increase their awareness about the needs and constraints of working children and youths. Community based groups, including the Community Watch Group (CWG), Community CSR Group, CMC, and

TVET center management committee are generally interested in joining interventions which affect children

within their communities. Save the Children and its PNGOs have already established several community groups

in the project area through other ongoing projects, and these groups are consulted on a regular basis.

Representatives from these groups will be involved in the different dialogue sessions during implementation and

they will be actively engaged in monitoring the Program.

Formal schools namely headmasters, teachers, SMC members and students are key actors in mainstreaming

students involved in the EYE Program. They are targeted in the areas of capacity building, sensitization and

awareness-raising. The child-led advocacy sensitization actions will increase their awareness about the needs

and constraints of child and youth laborers and will increase their support for mainstreamed students. Their

inclusion in training and other activities will ensure their understanding of issues surrounding quality education.

The informal private sector, with 93% of the children and youth engaged in hazardous work, is generally reluctant

to improve their workplaces if they cannot see benefits. The EYE Program targets private companies in the

informal sector that are suppliers to formal sector companies. The Program will provide training to staff in

private companies, outlining the benefits of workplace improvements. The training will also increase theirawareness of children's rights, the importance of a code of conduct, occupational health and safety, and CSR.

They will also learn how to apply CSR for Children effectively. Workplace improvement plans (WPIPs) will be

put in place in each workplace. Exchange of information and best practices about CSR for Children between the

formal and informal sector will be increased, using the pressure on the formal sector to provide safe workplaces

for workers to motivate informal sector companies to get involved. Private companies in the formal sector will

be selected to provide child laborers who have received skills training with decent employment opportunities

through apprenticeships and job placement. Orientation and regular meetings with companies in the formal and

informal sectors will make them aware of CSR for Children. They will be engaged in upgrading the vocational

skills training curriculum and instructors' training to ensure its relevance, as well as in developing CSR guidelines.

The EYE Program will organize these private companies through the Multi-stakeholder CSR Forum which willcontribute to the national level advocacy on creating a policy on CSR for Children. Business associations and

international corporations will be engaged in the Multi-Stakeholder CSR Forum to influence other companies in

their sector as will experience CSR lobby organizations.

State officials are generally not motivated to address child laborer and vulnerable youth and CSR issues in a

sustainable way due to lack of understanding as well as limited opportunity to work beyond their regular tasks.

Nevertheless, Save the Children has a good relationship with the relevant ministries and state organizations, and

is in regular contact with different officials related to child labor issues, CSR issues, education and TVET issues.

Apart from this, the EYE Program aims to engage strongly with local and national level education and TVET

authorities to increase their awareness on the needs and constraints of working children and youth education,

quality TVET and opportunities for decent employment. They will ensure their support for generating changeto remove obstacles for these students. At the local level, the main focus will be on the Thana Education Officer

(TEOs) and ard ed cati n c mmittees hich can infl ence the f rmal sch ls directl t enr ll rkin


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national level, the key stakeholders are representatives from MOPME, NCTB (National Curriculum and

Textbook Board), BTEB, and NVQF as they can generate change at the policy level and directly influence the

local level education and TVET authorities. The representatives will be invited to the national level workshops

and conventions, and their concerns will be addressed through bilateral meetings. Although not directly

responsible for education and TVET issues, representatives of the Ministry for Woman and Children Affairs

(MOWCA) will also be invited to these events, as MOWCA is the nodal ministry for all child-related issues.Media are important stakeholders in the Program in terms of awareness-raising and advocacy interventions at

the local and national level to generate mass awareness on the issues and put public pressure on decision-

makers. Media will be invited to all advocacy events. To multiply the lobbying effects of the advocacy initiatives

as well as to increase the potential for replication and multiplication of the action’s outcomes, the project will

also address other actors such as UNICEF, ILO, national and international NGOs by inviting them to the national

level events.

2.9. Consequences of inaction by the partners and SC:

Urban issues are of great concern in the development field. At present, a large number of the most marginalized

people live in slums, maintaining a very sub-standard life; this population is steadily increasing with a current

urbanization rate of 5-6% per annum. More than fifty percent of Bangladesh's population is expected to be livingin urban areas by 2030. Dhaka alone accounts for 75% of the country’s urban population (UNFPA 2001). Due

to rapid unregulated industrialization and a weak rural economy, a large spike in urbanization has been occurring

over the last decade. However, urban development has not taken place at the same rate as urban growth. This

rapid expansion, combined with a strain on resources has serious implications for the physical and

socioeconomic conditions of the urban population. Children pay the highest price as they are particularly

vulnerable. Their needs are often unmet and their rights are routinely violated; they become child laborers to

meet the urban family’s needs.

Urban slum children who are mostly engaged in hazardous work do not benefit from government services. For

example, two important government social safety net programs, the Primary School Stipend Program and the

Secondary School Stipend Program provide support to the poorest rural children enrolled in primary school

and to the poorest, rural girls enrolled in secondary schools, but excludes urban children. Other social safety

net programs that support working children support only those living in rural areas as the government is using

these instruments to discourage rural to urban migration. In reality, a large number of Bangladesh's poorest

people are based in urban slums. Moreover, only a small number of NGOs are working to meet the needs of

urban slum children. Alongside the urban programming, rural TVET is also a priority of the EYE Phase-2 Program.

Considering these gaps, if there were to be no interventions by Save the Children and its partners, a large

number of Bangladesh's most marginalized children would continue to be excluded from education that could

provide immense benefit.

3. BACKGROUND

3.1. Background of the program:


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History of the EYE Program: Save the Children has been implementing the EYE Program to address the root

causes of child labor for more than 15 years.

Initially, the program emphasized child protection,

but from 2011 the program focus turned towards

education realizing that a holistic program

approach that combines child protection witheducation and access to decent employment

opportunities are required to improve the child

labor situation in Bangladesh. A comprehensive

education program “Education for Youth

Empowerment” was put in place in 2011. The

Program offers basic education, TVET and soft

skills through children's and youth clubs. The basic

education component targets those children engaged in hazardous labor or children at risk of becoming child

laborers and provides them with access to basic education. Basic education is a prerequisite qualification to

access TVET. To empower working children and youth, both soft and hard skills are required and are provided

through the EYE TVET. EYE TVET also includes training on market relevant vocational skills, provides educators

with curriculum updates based on industry requirements and occupational health and safety (OHS) training,

government competency, upgrades vocational training centers with modern equipment, and provides

apprenticeships and job placements by encouraging the involvement of corporations in the Program. Providing

soft skills, the EYE Program empowers children and youth socially and politically through children's and youth

clubs, capacity building initiatives and child-led advocacy. To implement the Program, key strategies include joint

program development and monitoring by partner NGOs and Save the Children, engaging civil society, joint

national advocacy and research and learning, capacity support to children, parents and the community, NGOs

and the government along with the active participation of youth and children.

Taken together, these interventions function as a proven model to help children and vulnerable youth get out

of hazardous work and into either education or decent employment, enabling them to influence decisions

regarding their own lives. The EYE Program in Bangladesh has gradually expanded with a number of innovative

approaches. Today the EYE Program is implemented by 15 partner NGOs organized in a joint partners’ network

called Together with Working Children. EYE currently reaches over 180,000 children in three city corporations

and 17 districts.

3.2. Lessons learned from EYE Phase-1:

Accelerated Education: Since poor parents of child laborers do not support long-term education, EYE developed

a 3-4 year basic education course, which condenses the government curriculum for Grades 1-5. The syllabus

has been accelerated by reducing overlaps in the subject material. The students complete each grade in six

months, which is achievable for child laborers, since they are generally older and more mature than regularschool going children.

Advantages/Strength: Critical analysis has shown that the accelerated education model is efficient and cost

effective; most of the vulnerable children completed 29 government competencies up to grade five within three

years. Alongside their education, children can work and earn money. The model also created a path for children

and adolescents to access formal school. As the education offered by the accelerated model is of shorter

duration than that offered by formal schools, over a period of time, the age of the formal school children and

the NFE graduated children (those who have completed grade 5) converge. This makes it much easier to enroll

children who are participating in the accelerated education offered by the EYE Program in formal schools. The

model is accepted by children, parents and employers since they see concrete results quickly. As a result, parents

and employers allow these children to pursue education. Moreover, in the accelerated model, the dropout rateis very low. More than 95% of students complete grade five; in government schools, 55% of children drop out

before they complete grade five The student attendance rate is also high The EYE Program maintains a quality

Empo

wered

Childr

Vocat

Dece

Joint YouthJoint Civi

Rese

Cap


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five leaving examinations as well as midterms and final exams in each grade, based on the government exams.

Due to good relations with the education department and local government accreditation, children enrolled in

Save the Children NFPE get two sets of government books each year.

Challenges and responses to challenges:

It is difficult to achieve the minimum competency for slow learners, who then tend to drop out. A number

of initiatives will need to be taken to mitigate the problem. This could include extra coaching, health and

nutrition through a referral system, and social protection interventions such as a voucher system or midday

meals.

The low level of teachers’ quality can hamper the success of the accelerated model. Capacity development

for teachers, along with proper monitoring and ongoing pedagogical and subject based training can mitigate

this problem.

Classes which are taught in a monotonous manner can hamper success. During teacher recruitment, it is

important to consider teachers’ competency on extracurricular activities. Special training that supports

making classrooms more interactive would be a mitigation strategy.

Lack of discipline and adjustment in classrooms can be a challenge for the working children. A culture of

discipline needs to be developed and integrated into the whole process of schooling. More space could beallocated for the children's clubs, so that during transition of one shift to another the students can wait and

participate in activities in the children's clubs.

Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET): After they graduate from basic education, children

and youth are enrolled in a 6-12 month vocational skills training course, which provides technical skills for

specific trades. One fourth of the training course consists of an apprenticeship within the respective industry,

through which children can acclimatize with the industry environment and gain the speed required to work in

the industry. After completion of training, graduates are placed in decent jobs through self or wage employment.

Advantages/strengths: Access of working children and youth to TVET changes social and economic status and

reduces hazardous child labor. A number of manuals have been developed, concentrating on career counseling,trade based training, OHS with a focus on children in the workplace, industry needs and requirements and

government approved competency. The EYE Program’s partnerships with 67 private companies in the formal

sector is another significant achievement and provides TVET graduates with access to apprenticeship and decent

jobs in the upper tier of the supply chain. Introduction of soft skills as part of the TVET component helps youth

to gather both hard and soft skills. Today, around 21 trades/professions are offered and the course duration is

responsive to the market needs.

Challenges and responses to the challenges:

Retain all the participants throughout the entire TVET course, as they need the wages from their jobs;

wage compensation for the learners can help to retain them in training courses.

Inadequate information to access decent jobs is a key challenge; an information area in the youth clubscould help.

Corporations are less interested and motivated to undertake apprenticeships due to lack of information.

Awareness, training and motivation with proper agencies can help to mitigate the problem.

There is misunderstanding and indifference in implementing the relevant acts, laws, policies and

standards among the different stakeholders. Local and national level advocacy and capacity building

initiatives may address these issues.

Staff and students drop out during the TVET course. An inclusive selection criterion especially for the

outside youth (beyond SC NFE graduates) as well as a follow-up and monitoring system needs to be

introduced.

All vocational centers (VT) are not in line with standard OHS guidelines. Action should be taken toupdate all VTs as per standard OHS guidelines.

Lack of educational competence (TVET requires a grade 8 level) on the part of the most marginalized


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Courses of short duration cannot contribute to empowerment. Course duration should be similar to

that offered in all projects/trades under EYE Program.

All partner NGOs do not maintain quality TVET equally; minimum standards for TVET is required for

all partners.

Soft skills: The children learn how to organize and run children's clubs. In the clubs, they receive market

relevant training (including interview techniques,

education for youth empowerment (eye) program strategic document

Documents