Integrated Multi Channel Technology Based Delivery of Skills Training: Changing Lives in Bangladesh

Abstract

Bangladesh is a country of enormous possibility. But, even after that, majority of its people have to live in poverty, malnutrition, unemployment, superstition and many other forms of deprivation. Development workers, however, think that this situation can be changed by providing them education and enhancing their skills. Considering the need and magnitude of population, present capacity of the TVET system in the country is very much inadequate. TVET in Bangladesh mainly serves young’s who have completed at least the eighth grade. Existing TVET system rules out those who do not survive in the education system up to grade VIII. // Creating employment opportunities in the non-farm industrial sector for the rural poor, Dhaka Ahsania Mission (DAM) has designed several interventions. One of such intervention is developing innovative approaches and appropriate training materials for skills development, going beyond the state controlled TVET system. // Banking on DAM’s experience of developing more than 700 titles of literacy and skills training materials over several decades, in 2012, with the support from Commonwealth of Learning (COL), DAM has developed a package of materials for use in livelihood skills training. The package was developed for youths, women and men having limited reading skills and who have never had the opportunity to participate in any formal skills training programmes. The livelihood skills training package consists of 5 Animation videos (each of 15 minutes duration) and 5 easy to read pictorial instructional Booklets on five livelihood skills i.e. “Vermy compost”, “Nursery”, “Poultry farming”, “Flower cultivation”, and “Boutique print”. A list of competencies that the learners would achieve after reading each booklet has been given at the end of each booklet for self monitoring. To assess the efficiency and effectiveness of this training package simple monitoring forms are being used. // Utilizing the strengths of Open Distance Flexible Learning (ODFL) DAM through this package has introduced an integrated multi channel technology based delivery approach. This approach is a combination of watching video and reading booklets individually or guided by a local facilitator. Community Learning Centers having ICT facilities are now using this package material. In addition, other delivery approaches are, telecasting of animation videos through television channels, broadcasting of audio contents through community radios and web podcast. Through this combined delivery approach, innumerable number of unemployed urban and rural youths, women and men are developing their home-based small businesses for economic self reliant. With support from COL English version of 5 animation videos and 5 booklets has been prepared for wider replication of this package and delivery approach in other countries. // Paper ID: 262