Currently, many people who complete basic literacy courses do not have the opportunity to continuously use and enhance their reading and writing skills in order to make them an effective tool for improving their social and economic life. In addition, it is likely that the lack of literacy content in many skills training programs, such as vocational or life-skills courses, that target illiterate people, limits the effectiveness of such programs. The five-year project is expected to benefit 1.6 million learners, half of them women. The project aims to create a nationwide network of organizations providing continuing education and related services, approximately 230 field offices that help link service providers and learners, and 6,900 village-level Continuing Education Centers. In general, the Bangladeshi government has placed high priority on education and has made substantial progress over the last 20 years.
Most children now participate in primary school, and public expenditure on education has increased.
The government has also placed high priority on non-formal educationspecifically literacy trainingwith a goal of achieving 84 percent adult literacy by the year 2002. The current challenge is to improve quality of the government's programs, ensuring that children receive a good education and complete their schooling, and that adults who make the effort to become literate are provided with opportunities that make the effort worthwhile for themselves, their families and communities. Click here for the World Bank's Bangladesh country office.