Press Release

           


Mr. ITO Naoki, Ambassador, Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh (L) with Ms. Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance (R) and Mr. HAYAKAWA Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh (M) signed the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreements.


On 27th August , the Exchange of Notes and Grant Agreements on the “Japanese Grant Aid for the Fourth Primary Education Development Programme (PEDP4)”（up to JPY 500 million, about USD 5 million） were signed by Mr. ITO Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, Ms. Fatima Yasmin, Secretary, Economic Relations Division, Ministry of Finance and Mr. HAYAKAWA Yuho, Chief Representative, JICA Bangladesh office, representing the respective governments.

PEDP is an outstanding national development strategic plan for primary education in Bangladesh. Japan has been supporting PEDP in cooperation with other development partners since 2011 under the Sector Wide Approaches (SWAPs). Under PEDP3, a number of activities have been implemented. For example, the refined textbooks have been distributed in primary schools and classrooms have been built. PEDP4 started in 2018, aiming to achieve three high-level outcomes pertaining to quality of education; improving academic achievement, establishing equitable access and participation and enhancing management, governance and financing.

Japan has been providing support with a focus on improving the quality of primary education for all. For more than a decade, various approaches composed of policy strengthening, development of textbooks and teaching materials, strengthening school management and improvement of teacher’s training, as well as this financial support have been taken. Japan’s approach with a focus on the quality through technical cooperation and policy advisors, has been making a good synergy with SWAPs and financial support because those who have been working in the field can provide feedback to policy decision making at national level.