N.Z. aid for Bangladesh

Press, 3 May 1977, Page 12

N.Z. aid for Bangladesh

The New Zealand Government has given SUS6O,OOO towards a U.N.1.C.E.F.assisted programme to build 34 hostels for woman teacher-trainees in Bangladesh, says a news release from U.N.I.C.E.F. headquarters in New York.

The aim of the project is to encourage a higher school attendance among girls by increasing the number of woman primary school teachers.

Only about 50 to 60 per cent of primary-school-age children attend classes in Bangladesh and the drop-out rate, particularly for girls, is high. Only one primary school teacher in 25 is a woman. This imbalance has not been helped by the fact that out of Bangladesh’s 47 primary-teacher-training institutes not one has had residential facilities for women. This has forced woman trainees to find accommodation in nearby towns, an additional financial burden which has prevented many from getting necessary training.

New Zealand has now joined other special contributors in a U.N.I.C.E.F. assisted Government programme to build hostels for women, each accommodating about 50 trainees, at 34 teacher-training institutes. It is hoped that by creating conditions to allow the training of more woman teachers, an important contribution will be made towards giving girls in Bangladesh an education and consequently more opportunities to take their place in their country’s development. The Government of Bangladesh is providing the land, labour and all materials available on the local market. With the New Zealand donation, enough money has

been contributed to construct 20 hostels, three-quarters of which will be finished by December.