During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 25,000 children dropped out of primary school. To bring these out-of-school students back into mainstream education, BRAC launched the “Returning to Learning” (RTL) project. With support from the Hempel Foundation, this initiative ran from January 2022 to December 2024 in Kurigram, Rangpur and Lalmonirhat districts, using accelerated courses to bridge learning gaps.

Project Summary
• Number of schools: 1,515 one-room government and non-government model schools
• Program: Additional accelerated classes in Bangla, English and Mathematics
• Duration: January 2022–December 2024
• Objective: Re-enroll students who dropped out due to COVID-19 and enhance their learning competencies

At a sharing session held at the BRAC Centre on Monday, 12 May 2025, the project’s key data and recommendations were presented.

Key Results and Statistics
• After completing the accelerated courses, 99.1% of drop-out students have returned to government/private primary schools and madrasas.
• In Kurigram, the primary-level dropout rate fell from 23.6% in 2020 to 14.16% in 2023 (national average 13.15%).
• The share of students scoring below 33 in English dropped from 37% to 5%.
• Notable improvements were observed in students’ performance in Bangla and Mathematics.

Guest Speeches
• Chief Guest: Masud Akhtar Khan (Additional Secretary, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education)
– “After prioritizing girls’ education, it is now essential to give boys’ learning the same attention. The next challenge is ensuring quality.”

• Special Guest: Mirazul Islam Ukil (Director of Planning and Development, Department of Primary Education)
– “The government has approved: (1) school feeding for all, (2) scholarships again at the primary level, and (3) conversion of double-shift schools into single-shift operation. If these initiatives are effectively implemented, dropout rates will fall significantly.”

Also present were BRAC’s Safi Rahman Khan; Ziauddin Ahmad, Assistant Director of the District Non-Formal Education Bureau; Mohammad Ziaul Haque Shikdar, Education Officer at the Department of Primary Education; and Rosie Williams, Foundations Officer at BRAC Europe.

Recommendations and Future Directions
Speakers expressed optimism that, with the involvement of all stakeholders, an up-to-date and inclusive education system can be built. To sustain the gains in these areas, the following are required:
• Formulation of a long-term, inclusive and sustainable education policy

• Coordinated participation of local government, guardians, teachers and the wider community
• Regular assessment and monitoring of students after course completion
• Ongoing teacher training and provision of adequate educational materials to maintain quality