Dropout students from the distressed and underprivileged communities in the city are getting financial support for continuing their institutional learning in the city, speakers at a grants-distribution ceremony said in Rajshahi on Wednesday.
They viewed ensuring educational rights to the dropouts children is very vital to attain the hundred percent enrolment target for freeing the nation from the curse of illiteracy.Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) under its ‘Urban Partnership for Poverty Reduction Project (UPPRP)’ has been extending the support so that the dropout students don’t deprive of their educational rights. UNDP in association with UKaid and UNHabitat extends financial and
technical support to the project.This was disclosed at the ceremony held at Shashthitala area in the city where some 40 students received grants worth Taka 77,610.The meeting was told that more than 3,324 dropout students from the distressed and underprivileged communities in the city are getting
financial grants valued at around Taka 1.79 crore for continuing their institutional learning in the city.Grants of Taka 64.32 lakh have, so far, been disbursed and disbursement of the rest Taka 42.88 lakh will be completed by next June under the project in the city.RCC Mayor Mosaddeque Hossain Bulbul, who addressed the distribution ceremony as chief guest, has urged upon all concerned to ensure financial supports towards the distressed students for facilitating their educational activities.He said the city corporation is very much positive to bring all the children under educational arena by 2014 for freeing the metropolis from the curse of illiteracy and sought a collective effort to make the endeavor a total success.”We are committed to ensure financial supports towards the distressed dropout students to continue their educational activities,” Mayor Bulbul asserted. He urged upon the cheque-recipients to put in their level best efforts for making the underprivileged children educated after the best uses of the grants for making them competent human resources.Bulbul said students’ dropouts from primary and secondary schools couldn’t be prevented without collective efforts of all concerned especially teachers, guardians and community people.In his welcome speech, UPPRP Town Manager Ershadul Haque said the project is being implemented aimed at improving the living and livelihood condition of around three lakh poor and extreme poor people, especially women and girls, in the Rajshahi city by 2015.With RCC Ward Councilor Rabiul Alam Milu in the chair, another ward councilor Shamsunnahar, local elites Nurul Haque, Professorf Sheikh Ataur Rahman and Shahidur Rahman also spoke. -BSS, Rajshahi
