Brac Education Program organized an information and experience-sharing event on play-based learning, inclusive education, and children’s psychosocial development on Thursday at the Brac Centre in Dhaka.
he event brought together government policymakers, development partners, researchers, educationists, donor agencies, representatives from public and private institutions, and members of the media.
The event was held under the project titled Advocacy for Play, Early Learning, and Socio-Emotional Development in Bangladesh.
Speaking as the chief guest, Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman, Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education, said, “In the coming days, alongside the government, non-government development organizations must also step forward to ensure quality education for children.”
Earlier, in his welcome address, Safi Rahman Khan, Director of Brac’s Education, Skills Development, and Migration Program, emphasized the importance of expanding play-based learning initiatives in line with research findings generated by the Play Lab in the future.
Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, program head of the Brac Education Program, delivered an overview presentation on Play Lab (Khelar Jagat). Research findings on the effectiveness of the initiative were also shared, revealing that teachers trained in play-based learning methods are positively influencing their colleagues. They are sharing their knowledge and experiences, enabling other teachers to apply play-based learning approaches more effectively in classrooms.
During the discussion session, speakers stressed the need for joint efforts by both government and non-government actors to scale up play-based learning nationwide. The session was moderated by K A M M Morshed, senior director at Brac, who urged policymakers to design programs based on community-level needs.
The event also featured in-depth discussions on coordinated planning among various government ministries, divisions, and agencies; strategies for enhancing teachers’ skills; the use of research-based evidence in formulating national policies; monitoring the education system; mutual experience-sharing; and leveraging data and evidence to evaluate skills development initiatives.
