“As the Upazila Nirbahi Officer of Boalkhali Upazila, I assure you my full support over the next three months to ensure the successful implementation of this project. In this era of technology and modernisation, we must utilise technological tools so that our next generation can keep pace with the world and experience smoother, more effective learning.”
In Boalkhali Upazila, there is a significant gap in access to digital learning between urban and rural areas. While urban students have approximately 90% digital access, rural students have only 30–40%, which reduces student interest in learning and disrupts educational continuity. Additional challenges include limited digital literacy in rural communities, low awareness among students and parents about the importance of education, insufficient teacher training and support, and the pilot implementation being limited to only a few schools, which reduces overall impact.
To address these issues, local Youth for Policy volunteers, with support from the central team, are working with local stakeholders to ensure that rural community schools in Chattogram can access digital education services and exercise their civic right to education, similar to government schools in urban areas.
As an initial step, the youth-led Social Accountability team met with the Upazila Nirbahi Officer and obtained permission to work in selected schools to conduct surveys and sessions with students, collecting their views and identifying challenges in accessing education. This initiative also supports students during transition periods, such as school closures, by enabling them to continue their learning through digital media with the support of relevant stakeholders. Overall, the initiative focuses on promoting civic rights and awareness while effectively using digital media to strengthen access to education.