ReliefWeb

Cox’s Bazar, 21 August 2019 – VSO Bangladesh and its partners announce the launch of “VSO School App” in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh today at 5 p.m. VSO School App is an education app developed in partnership with Ustad Mobile and used to strengthen learning of Rohingya children.

To support the delivery of home-based Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) for Rohingya children, VSO has developed several teachings and learning resources. Created by VSO in partnership with Ustad Mobile, VSO School App is an education app and learning tool which aims to improve teaching and learning for Rohingya children in the refugee camp. VSO School App consists of contents that support Rohingya Children on thinking skills, social, emotional, physical and language development. The app is loaded with games, songs, poems and stories and other educational materials designed to help young refugee children understand the world around them. It is also equipped with children’s activities which allow teachers and learning facilitators to use as guidelines to deliver lessons, and to increase access, participation and learning.

VSO Bangladesh Country Director, Md Forkhan Uddin said:

“VSO Bangladesh is happy to be a part of government’s commitment to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in delivery quality education services. VSO School App will not only strengthen teaching quality delivered by volunteers, but will also enable Rohingya children to learn different skills from this school app. We can potentially replicate this app for Pre-Primary Education of Bangladeshi children in Primary Schools.”

Speaking at the launch event, chief guest of the event Mr. Mohammad Abul Kalam, Relief and Repatriation Commissioner, Cox's Bazar explained the importance of education of Rohingya children. He said, “The home-based Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) is certainly an innovative approach that aims to fill the existing gaps in fulfilling the right to education and learning for the children. I thank VSO for their effort and implementation of this education programme for Rohingya refugee children. At the moment, we want to evaluate the impact of the use of the VSO School App and a future course may be agreed upon based on the findings.” Over 100 participants and key stakeholders from education sector in Cox’s Bazar are in attendance.

Notes to editors:

In response to the needs of education for Rohingya children, VSO has been working with key stakeholders and the communities to provide basic education to the Rohingya children. VSO Bangladesh is implementing Education in Emergency (EiE) programme in Jamtoli Rohingya Camp (Camp # 15) in Cox’s Bazar through partnership with Mukti Cox’s Bazar to provide vital education and safe space for learning and to help Rohingya children to reclaim their childhood. The programme aims to provide accessible Early Childhood Care and Education and learning opportunities for Rohingya children in a safe environment.

Under Education in Emergency programme, VSO is supporting over 2,100 children aged 3-5years through home-based Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), over 1,100 children aged 6-14 years through education at 12 Learning Centres, and over 3,200 adolescent youth through Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights awareness.

VSO’s Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) curriculum for Rohingya children aged 3-5 years developed in partnership with MESHGuide and use VSO School App created in partnership with Ustad Mobile.

VSO School App will be available for download on Google Play Store.

About VSO

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) is the world’s leading independent international development organisation that works through volunteers to fight poverty in developing countries. Originally founded in 1958, VSO has been working in Bangladesh since 1974 to ensure that marginalised women and men in some of the poorest districts can participate in, contribute to, and benefit from the country’s economic and social development.

VSO's high-impact approach involves bringing people together to fight various forms of poverty by sharing skills, building capabilities, promoting international understanding and action to change lives to make the world a fairer place for all to live in. For more information visit www.vsointernational.org

Salahuddin Ahmed
Country Fundraising Manager
VSO Bangladesh
+88-01726853830
Salahuddin.Ahmed@vsoint.org

Teeraphong Kunklangdone
Regional Media and Communications Advisor
(Asia Pacific), VSO
+66 (0)81 266 5838
teeraphong.kunklangdone@vsoint.org