418 teachers of Chattogram awarded by a2i and Grameenphone

Grameenphone, a2i and Chattogram divisional ICT4E (Information and communications technology for education) organised “Teacher Award 2022: Digital Access and Teacher Competence in Blended Education” to recognise the contribution of ambassador teachers in supporting online education during the trying time of COVID 19 pandemic through digital means.

Dr Dewan Muhammad Humayun Kabir, Project Director, UNDP Bangladesh and Dr Asif Naimur Rashid, Chief Business Officer, Grameenphone, handed over the crest & certificates signed by Nurul Ferdous Musanna, Head of Government and Strategic Business, to 418 teachers at the award ceremony jointly organised on September 03, 2022, at the GEC Conventional Hall in Chattogram. Md. Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury, Director, Secondary and Higher Education Bangladesh, joined the program as the Chief Guest in the presence of Dr Uttam Kumar Das, Director, Training, Primary Education, Dhaka; Professor Mustafa Kamrul Akhter, Chairman, Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Chattogram; Professor Hossain Ahmed Arif Elahi, Director, Secondary and Higher Education, Chattogram Zone; Dr Md. Shafiqul Islam, Director, District Primary Education Office, Chattogram;  Lutfun Nahar, Chief Education Officer, Chattogram City Corporation, and other respected attendees.

As Covid-19 swept through the world, students all over the nation were left without classrooms, schools, friends, and even formal education, and it became crucial to bring education fingertips. With online classes gradually becoming the norm, the teachers also held on to their solemn duty to educate students by obtaining various alternative methods.

Grameenphone and a2i collectively came forward with several initiatives to ensure seamless and ideal use of technology and internet service for teachers, including “Shikkhok Batayon”, to drive inclusion and eradicate the divide. Online school activities were safeguarded through such initiatives. To honour the active ICT4E ambassador teachers across the country for their dedicated efforts to continue educating students amid the pandemic, “Teacher Award 2022: Digital Access and Teacher Competence in Blended Education” recognised 418 ambassadors in the Chattogram division.

Dr Asif Naimur Rashid, CBO, Grameenphone, said, “I believe with Bangladesh’s demographic dividend, there are millions of potential leaders of tomorrow and millions of reasons to be hopeful for the country’s future. a2i plays a key role in shaping Bangladesh’s vision for its future of learning. Grameenphone is proud to partner and jointly contribute to this journey of empowering youth and marching toward our shared vision of becoming a self-sustained knowledge-based economy. Crisis brings innovation, and this time, it was no different. Connectivity is a great enabler, allowing us to devise alternatives and find solutions to the most incredible challenges.”

Blended Education resulted from the aspiration to establish a developed nation in the middle of Covid-19 and the imminent 4IR. It has been a hybrid education model where the system has been crafted keeping the necessity of education-based societies, skill-based students and preparedness for 4IR to accelerate the nation forward towards a Smart Bangladesh by 2041. Nearly 6 lakh teachers have registered in “Shikkhok Batayon”, with about 2500 being awarded the status of “ICT4E Ambassadors” for their outstanding presentations, innovative activities, and educational digital content development.