Report On Facilitating Support to Social Action Project at School Level

Foreword

 1. Introduction

Students can contribute in building a nice and peaceful world through utilizing their innovations and strengths by actively get themselves involved in the process that leads to the solution of the existing social problems. Hence, social action projects play important role to provide this space for the students getting involved in the community problem solution process which can increase their skills and confidence as well. In addition, through the projects, they can also gain good ICT skills which help them disseminate their innovations, thinking and work with other students in the globe leading them becoming active citizens both in home and abroad. Getting involved or implementing the first phase of social action projects students and teachers are very excited as to most of them, it was the first time which they have the scope to contribute in raising awareness on particular issues benefiting the community. On the other hand, while Bangladesh government is working to build a digital Bangladesh, students and teachers who are involved in social action project find themselves in an ICT friendly environment getting the opportunity to get access to internet and share their works to others in home and abroad. Students and teachers thus are getting confident to contribute in building a nice and prosperous society and state along with assisting in establishing digital Bangladesh. On the other hand, they feel proud cooperating the state directly in meeting the Millennium development goal which it committed to meet by 2015 through addressing issues related with the said goal such as early marriage, illiteracy, sanitation environment pollution. However, the report contains a summarized description of the social action projects with some supporting photographs.

This report has been prepared based on the outcomes of social action projects implemented by 227 schools from 19 districts of Bangladesh. BARCIK team members visited and facilitated as well as monitored the activities of the schools which they conducted as parts of their social action projects. Thus the information, recommendations and description of events in this report have been extracted from the schools reports, monitoring and facilitation reports of BARCIK team members as well as the relevant digital documentation done by the schools. Social action projects have been implemented by 227 schools in Dhaka, Manikgonj, Narayangonj, Khulna, Magura, Chuwadanga, Potuakhali, Chittangong, Rangamati, Comilla, Thakurgoan, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Dinajpur, Moulvibazar, Gopallgonj, Sitakunda, Jossere and Rajshahi.

 3. Briefing and orientation

In order to provide skills to the schools identifying the problem of their own community and design a program aiming at acting on that issue, 21 orientation workshops were arranged with the facilitation of BARCIK in March 2011 in Dhaka, Manikgonj, Narayangonj, Khulna, Magura, Chuwadanga, Potuakhali, Chittangong, Rangamati, Comilla, Thakurgoan, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Dinajpur, Moulvibazar, Gopallgonj, Sitakunda, Jossere and Rajshahi. However, the orientation workshop was designed to provide skills and technical supports to the students as well as teachers, so that they can design their project and formulate planning for implementation of the project with the grant they receive. To support them, BARCIK developed supporting materials and guidelines with the assistance from British Council. In each of the orientation session, two teachers and two students from every individual school attended including respectable persons of the area.

Students performed group works with the facilitation of the teachers where they discussed with each other to identify the problems of their perspective society. They then noted down the selected problems with due priority and presented in front of all. They also sketched what activities should be taken, when they need to conduct these activities, who will participate in the activities and where these activities will be conducted to accelerate the solution of the identified problems. However, among the problems that students identified during the orientation programs include: water crisis, lack of seats and facilities in schools, load shedding, early marriage, women torture, child labor, unhygienic sanitation, drug addiction, lack of women education, eve-teasing, poverty, students drop out, sound pollution, deforestation, riverbank erosion, waste mismanagement, outbreak of mosquitoes, environment pollution, dowry system, illiteracy and adolescent crime etc. The students and teachers were also practically trained on how the schools could log in to the website of British council schoolonline.britishcouncil.org and upload their digital contents visually.

 4. Proposal collection and screening

Teachers and students who participated in the briefing session shared the issue with other student in their perspective schools with the help of their teachers and designed projects with detailed plans for smooth execution in the last week of March and sent to BARCIK. BARCIK received 227 proposals from the schools. In the designed project, the schools selected some activities it would implement to create awareness which include: Discussion, leaflet & poster publication, arrangement and organization of rallies, press conference, human chain, seminars and drama staging etc.

 5. Grant disbursement

After screening the proposals sent by 227 schools, BARCIK took initiative to disburse grant to the schools. BARCIK with the assistance of British council developed financial agreement papers where details regarding using the grants were mentioned. Including the agreement paper BARCIK also prepared a receipt copy to make the transparent transaction of the grant. Thus in May-June BARCIK staffs visited almost all schools and disbursed grant through account payee cheques. During the grant disbursement, schools were also trained regarding how to keep financial records, such as bill, vouchers, invoices etc so that accountability and transparency could be maintained.

 6. School activities

Numbers of social issues were covered and addressed by 227 schools through implementing social action projects. The social issues which got covered through the social action projects this year include: eve-teasing, campaign against dowry system, campaign against illiteracy, early marriage, campaign against student drop out in primary education, campaign against drug, farming, environment pollution, riverbank erosion, cleanliness, violence against women, tree plantation, campaign against child labor, poverty alleviation, campaign against aids, say no to guide books and sanitation etc. Including students and teachers community people of different occupations and classes attended in these programs. Here is the brief summary of the social issues addressed by the schools through social action projects:

 6.1 Campaign against illiteracy

Education is the backbone of a nation. An educated citizen is asset for a state. On the other hand, lack of education or illiteracy is a curse for nation and an illiterate citizen is burden for a state. So, every state wants to have educated citizens who can contribute in social, economic and cultural development. Bearing this very truth in mind, Dr Chandana High school from Lalmonirhat, Chirirbandar Girls High School from Dinajpur, Border Guard Public High school, Mohajerabad High school from Moulvibazar and Purba Hura high school, Arag Anandapur Adarso high school from Comilla implemented their social action projects focusing on creating awareness among the mass people about the importance of education and curse of illiteracy. With the aim to create social awareness, these schools published posters, leaflets and distributed among people of all classes. They also arranged discussions where guardians, social workers, and members of school managing committee, representatives of local administration, NGOs and other people of different occupations attended. Most of the schools mentioned in their reports that illiteracy is a hindrance for development and this issue should be addressed both by state and private sectors. On the other hand, it was through these project activities that the attention of local administrative bodies regarding addressing and facilitating people in having access to education has been caught. Besides, the local community also became aware about what they need to do giving up all kinds of superstitions they have been grasping discouraging them towards education. They all ask state and private organizations to work for spreading education.

This is the issue which was most addressed by schools through their social action projects. It was also the burning issues for schools because the girl’s students sometimes remain absent in the school being the victim of eve-teasing but rarely disclosed this to others being ashamed. However, to address this social issue as well as to protect girls students from being teased, Lauthuti High school, Singpara high school and Begum Khaleda Zia girl’s high school from Thakurgoan, Bhatiyari Hajee T.A.C High school, Kumira Residentioa High School, Latifa girls’ High school, R. R Textile Mills high school from Sitakunda, Chittagong, UCEP Gonoktuli City Corporation School, Dhaka, Damurhuda Pilot Girls High School, Lokenathpur S.S High School from Chuadanga, Kanthalbari High school from Kurigram, UCEP-Haji Sikander Ali School from Badda Dhaka, Khepupara girl’s high school from Potuakhali, Bharasar High School from Comilla, UCEP Ambagan high school from Chittagong, UCEP Sonadanga school from Khulna, Baliyati IC high school, Fuqurhati Kandapara Mojibur Rahman high school from Manikgonj, Meerkunad high school, Sikander Abdul Malek high school from Narayangonj, Shahid Abdul Ali Academy school from Rangamati, Char Chaktai City Corporation high school, Baluardighi City Corporation high school, Potenga City Corporation girls’ high school from Chittagong, UCEP Hazi Sikander Ali school from Dhaka conducted activities to aware students regarding the consequences of eve-teasing. Besides, these schools formed eve-teasing prevention committee with the participation of guardians and members of school managing committee. These schools also organized rally, human chain, published posters and leaflets as well as arranged discussion to discuss about eve-teasing, identify the reasons as well as to find ways of preventing it happens. Most of the schools reported that their social action project activities have been able in snatching the attention of local administrative bodies and civil society which the schools believed could play vital role in preventing the events of eve-teasing as well as punished the culprits.

 6.3 Campaign against dowry

Dowry is a social problem, particularly women and girls are the victim of it. This problem is seen in almost all parts of Bangladesh. Many lives have lost and got destroyed due to this problem. Dowry kills a family, a society and a human being. When a women and new married girls cannot afford to give dowry (financial and related with other resources and assets) demanded by the bride during marriage, the marriage gets breaks down or even though marriage took place, later on, husband compelled his wife to give the demanded dowry and if she fails to do so, she is often assaulted physically and gets divorced many times. However, to address the social issue, Sreemangol Uddayan girl’s high school from Moulvibazar, Al-hera Islami Junior High School from Chuwadanga, Uttar Bholanathpur High School from Dinajpur, Nefardarga High School from Kurigram, UCEP MA Majid School from Khulna, Chartilli Adarsha high school from Manikgonj and Pathantoli Khan Saheb City Corporation high school from Chittagong implemented some activities under their social action projects. For creating awareness among the communities and others, the schools arranged discussions, organized rallies, human chains, staged dramas, published posters and leaflets and distributed and even the students and teachers of the schools discussed with villagers, rickshaw pullers, van drivers, vegetable sellers, and hawkers etc to make them aware about dowry. Some schools students even found going door to door to create awareness on this social issue.

Drug is a growing social disease and many teen ages’ youth are addicted to drug. On the other hand, drug is harmful for health and when any teen age boy and girl gets addicted to drug, he/she loses in physical and mental balance and this leads him/her being detached from society which kills his/her bright future. However, to address this social issue, Al-hera Islami Junior High School, Barabaldia Secondary School, Darsana Secondary Girl’s High School, Memnagar BD High School from Chudanga, Baraja SC High School from Lalmonirhat, Amena Baki Residential Model high school from Dinajpur, Holokhana High school from Kurigram, Hazi Sirajuddin Memorial high school & Shamsuzzuha MB Union high school from Narayangonj and UCEP Citypolli City Corporation school from Dhaka implemented some activities under their social action projects. As seen in the activities of other schools, these schools also arranged discussions, organized rallies, human chains, published posters and staged drama etc where almost in every activities of the schools guardians, representatives of local administration, teachers, students, social workers, NGO representatives, members of civil society, journalists attended. All through these activities, the schools tried to involve the community people and attract the attention of administration to take initiative preventing the flow & supply of drugs in town and remote areas as well as motivate young community not to take drugs. In order to make students and young community aware about the negative and destructive impacts of drug, the discussants in the programs shared their opinions and views where they depicted the negative impact of drug addiction excerpting examples from the real life.

Marriage is a big episode in the life of an individual as well as for his or her close relatives. On the other hand, early marriage is quite the opposite and it brings despairs and often fatal consequences, especially for the bride, as it is a forcefully imposed upon her. Early marriage is an infringement of a girl’s human rights. It brings an end to the beautiful childhood and education, health, education, security and other developments. In Bangladesh, early marriage is widespread due to poverty, lack of awareness and education, patriarchal beliefs and values, social unrest, and negative attitude towards girl’s children. The issue is culturally and socially interconnected with various discriminatory beliefs and practices. Thus to address this issue, Damurhuda Pilot High School, Daskin Chand Pur Secondery School of Chuadanga, Khochona S.C High School and College, Hariswer Taluk High school of Dinajpur, Adarsha High School, Faraker hat Karamotia High School, Kanthalbari M. L girls’ High School CCS, Collectorate School, M.A Sattar Adarsha high of Kurigram and Arazi Gunjorgor High School, Gareya Girl’s High school Purbo Arazi Chandipur High school of Thakurgoan, Balikhara Abdul Matin Khasu high school from Comilla, Khan Saheb Sheikh Musarraf Hossien high school of Gopalgonj, Tripolli  Sheikh Abu Naser high school, Gimadanga Aadarso high school from Gopalgonj, Khepupara high school, Faridgonj high school, Tulatuli high school, Purba Modhukhali high school, Shishu Polli Academy high school, Dhulasar high school from Potuakhali, UCEP Pahartoli high school from Chittagong, UCEP Khalishpur school from Khulna, Dhullya BM high school, Abdur Rahman Khan high school from Mankigonj, Bandor girl’s school & college, Dhakeswary Mills high school, Hazi Ibrahim Alamchan high school from Narayangonj, UCEP Ismail school from Dhaka and Postarpar Asma Khatun City Corporation high school Chitagong conducted discussions, meetings, organized rallies and human chains, staged dramas and published posters and leaflets to create awareness about early marriage. Almost people of all stakes participated in the programs of these schools. Besides, almost all school published posters, hand-notes, leaflets and distributed among the people of all stakes. The discussants in the discussions and meetings also shared their experiences and view on the negative impact of early marriage in the society.

 6.6 Campaign against environment pollution

Environment pollution is one of the burning issues of today’s world. As result of environment pollution, source of fresh water is getting contaminated, agro production gets declined and outbreak of diseases gets increased. Besides, the present climate change scenario is one of the devastating results of environment pollution. Thus conserving biodiversity, planting trees and saving forest from degradation as well as encouraging friendly waste management needs to be adopted to save environment pollution; because if environment gets more polluted, it will create more problems and will provoke frequent disasters which will destroy human kind and assets. However, to address this issue, Madna High school, Joyrampur High School from Chuwadanga, Bhotmari SC High school from Lalmonirhat, Kurmiar Resdiantial girl’s High school, M. A Kasem Raza High school, Madam Bibir hat high school & Shajahan High school from Dinajpur, Kharataiya high school, Mohishmara high school & Burichang Kalinarayan girl’s high school from Comilla and Shitalpur Multilateral High school from Sitakunda Chittagong, Dumuriya Bohumukhi high school, Nazir Hossein Three Star UCEP school of Dhaka, Modhya Tiyakhali AKHM high school, Hazipur high school from Potuakhali, Charchaktai high school from UCEP, Chittagong, UCEP Khulna City corporation school from Khulna, Foyzunnesa high school, Janna Model high school, Horgoj Shahid Smrity high school, Dargram high school from Manikgonj, UCEP Nolgula school, UCEP Tuitaboot field school from Dhaka implemented activities under their social action projects with the participation of their community, representatives of administration, civil society members, NGO representatives, journalists  and others. It was through these activities that these schools have succeeded in creating awareness among the communities regarding the destructive impact of environment pollution.

 6.7 Campaign against student drop out

Bangladesh has committed to ensure 100% literacy rate by 2015 and it is one of Millennium development goals that Bangladesh is striving to meet by this time. However, to ensure 100% literacy rate as well as meet the MDG goal, Bangladesh needs to prevent the dropout rate in education, particularly in primary education. Hence, social action projects of British Council have paved Bangladesh the way of meeting the goal by conducting activities to prevent dropout rate in education. In this regard, Baninagar High school, Hajrania Dimukhi High School, Chaparhat High school of  Lalmonirhat, Sonaichhary High school of Sitakunda from Chittagong and Al-Haj Abdul Hashem Khan UCEP School from Dhaka have implemented activities to address this issue. Most of these schools visited slums and remote villages where the dropout rate is high to motivate students and parents about the importance of education and curse of being illiterate. These schools arranged rallies, organized discussions, meetings and published posters and leaflets to convey the messages to the targeted groups as well as persuade the concern authority addressing this issue in a concrete manner.

Most of the people in grassroots areas are poor and have little access to sanitation. Using unhygienic latrines and being unaware regarding the importance of sanitation has led them suffering from various kinds of susceptible diseases. Adopting sanitation is not an expensive measure yet for lack of awareness and motivation, these people have reverse concept about it. Hence, to motivate and encourage as well as provide messages about the important of sanitation, TALUK SHAKATI High school from Lalmonirhat, Basudebpur high school, Jogonnathpur High School, Binnayakuri High School, Chongakhata L.P Junior High school, Chakhmil High school, Milonpur Junior High school and Nabipur High from Thakurgoan, Chirirbandar high school from Dinajpur, Dasher Hat High school from Kurigram, Basuriya Sener high school, Saptapolli Joariya high school from Gopalgonj, Pakhimara Profulla Bhowmik high school, Chaka Maiya Betmor high school from Potuakhali and Kharikhyong high school from Rangamati conducted activities to create awareness on sanitation. These schools organized rally, arranged discussions and staged drama to convey the messages about importance of sanitation and the negative consequences of not adopting sanitation. Besides, these schools arranged washing hand program to showcase the importance of sanitation. They also published posters and leaflet where they delivered awareness messages about sanitation. According to the reports of these schools, people in their perspective areas appreciated their initiative and became aware about sanitation.

 6.9 Campaign against women violence

Women violence is almost a common event in Bangladesh. Women are victim of rape, physical and mental assault. Women play an important role in the family and become busy throughout the day. But if they make a little mistake, they are often beaten and tortured. The patriarchal society has made women inferior than men though except some physical, there are no difference between men and women. Moreover, the working scope of women is wider than men. Women has to maintain household works, look after children, help men in agriculture and even some women toady are involved in small business & trade and some are doing office along with men. But the contribution of women is never recognized. All credits belong to men and discredit belong to women leading them being tortured. Our social concept, norms, values and tradition often disfavor women and that is why discrimination against women gets started from the family where the importance of male children is nakedly seen. Women are treated as like others goods in the shop rather than human being in the context of patriarchal society leading them being the victim of violence every time. However, to address this issue, Janani girl’s high school from chirirbandar, Dinajpur, Gareya High School from Thakurgoan and Aparnacharon City Corporation high school from Chittagong conducted activities to aware people about the contribution of women in a family, society and state. These schools arranged discussion, organized rallies, human chain and published posters and leaflets to depict the negative of violence against women. Students, eachers, local community, representatives of local administration, journalists and social workers attended in the discussions and meeting arranged by schools and delivered their views and opinions to prevent and create mass movement against women violence.

 6.10 Other issues

Along with the above mentioned societal issues some other issues also were addressed by different schools through there social action projects. Barakund High School from Sitakunda Chittagong, Burirchang Hazi Fazar Ali high school from Comilla and UCEP Johora Samad school, Khulna addressed child labor, Kattoly City corporation High school from Chittagong addressed say no guide books, Shakati BL high school and Gaglar par high school from Lalmonirhat, BM Union high school, Nabigonj girl’s high school & Sonakanda high school, Hazi Abdul Malek high school from Narayangonj conducted program to aware people on tree plantation, Machidda High school of from Sitakunda, Chittagong conducted program to aware people about Aids, Khalilgonj School & College from Kurigram implemented programs on Poverty alleviation while Mogalbasha B. L. High school from Kurigram addressed Riverbank erosion, Kaliganj  karim Uddin  Public Pilot High school from Lalmonirhat addressed Cleanliness in its social action project. On the other hand, all schools in Magura namely Amtoil Secondary School, Chargoyalpar High School, Kalinagar High School, Khamarpara Girls High School, Saronggodia Abdul Mazid Zoyadder Secondary Girls School, Barishat Secondary School, Kajli High School, Khamarpara Pilot Girls High School, Panchopolli Secondary School and Sreepur M.C Pilot High School addressed Farming food production and fair trade in their social action projects.

There is diversity in selecting projects among schools as well. BARCIK found that Burichang Model Academy high school from Comilla conducting activities to create awareness on building library, Peer Jatrapur high school from Comilla arranging program Preventing adopting unfair means in exams, Purnamati M. A high school from Comilla arranged program to create awareness regarding Controlling population growth and Bashbariya Jhanjhaniya high school from Gopalgonj arranged program to persuade the community preparing Bamboo Bridge for making easy physical communication of the people in the area.

 7. Monitoring and Evaluation

As part of facilitating schools implementing their social action projects, BARCIK made regular monitoring to every cluster centre schools during the project period. The aim of monitoring is to facilitate and assist schools implementing their projects properly. In this regard, BARCIK conducted orientation session to brief about the social action projects to the schools in the very beginning of the project period. It also prepared documents and distributed among schools during this time. Each of the school under a given cluster participated in the orientation session. However, BARCIK made frequent visits to the schools and where necessary, the organization made intensive visit so that school could perform their project properly. During grant administration, BARCIK also provided inputs to the schools on how they could arrange activities to make the successful implementation of their social action projects. Besides, during this time, if found that few schools lack concept and idea and were not clear about what they should do to implement their projects, BARCIK staffs sat with them and briefed them separately. BARCIK also helped schools arranging and conducting activities and attended in that programs arranged by schools as part of their social action projects to encourage them. Within the project period, BARCIK made frequent visit to the schools to monitor their progress. Besides, BARCIK made e-mail and telephone communication on regular basis associated with social action projects to learn about the progress of their projects. BARCIK also distributed report writing format to assist school in producing their reports easily.

Assessing the schools activities implemented under social action project, BARCIK found students and teachers are now able identifying social problems. They have capacity to address these problems organizing event ensuring the participation of local communities, elites and members of civil society. Analyzing the objectives of the social action projects, we can set success indicators: Schools are able to identify problems, students work on the issues and the output of the projects is shared in the internet. However, matching and comparing the initiative of schools with the set success indicators, it can be said that schools have succeeded in addressing social issues and involve students and communities. But schools have not much succeeded in proper utilization of ICT equipments due to some reasons.

 8. Report Uploading session and translation of reports

One of the objectives of social action project is uploading the reports of the school onto the website of British Council that is http://schoolsonline.britishcouncil.org. To facilitate school doing the uploading properly, BARCIK conducted ICT session in 21 cluster centre schools. BARCIK developed materials and practically briefed the school on how they could upload their projects reports. Besides, BARCIK also shared with the school regarding the basic things of the website. After the sessions, most of the schools have been able uploading their reports and all the uploaded reports are displayed onto the website. On the other hand, BARCIK accomplished of translating all the reports of the school which are written in Bengali language. Besides, BARCIK also did take initiative editing the English reports.

 9. Module Formulation

Based on the concept and technique of conducting social action projects, BARCIK formulated a module to assist schools conducting their projects easily. Going through the module, it is hoped that students and teachers could at least understand what they need to do in the implementation of social action projects. The students and teachers could gain knowledge on how they identify problems, how to involve community in the process and which activities they should arrange or organize to address the identified problems etc. Besides, the module does give primary idea on how to do group work for problem identification, setting schedule for programs, producing reports and analyze the success of their program examining some success indicators. It is hoped that this module will help schools implementing social action projects in the next phase.

 10. Impacts

It has been mentioned that the main objective of social action project is to re-attach students in the societal issues and connect them with the globe so that they could become active citizens. Social action projects have created this scope for students. It was through these projects that students managed time to think what problems they and their community face. However, it was found in each cluster that students and teachers did group work and identified some problems they face. Social action projects have enabled students to identify problems that as social beings they face. On the other hand, after identifying problems, the students and teachers organized programs involving their own community. These activities have succeeded in creating awareness as well as attracting the attention of the concerned authorities. The active role of students in addressing these social issues was also found worth mentionable. The community was found pleased seeing that students playing vital role in addressing such problematic issues of the society along with their studies. This kind of responsibility and involvement will contribute in creating the sense of responsibility among the students. Besides, facilitating students in the social action projects, BARCIK found that students possess multi dimensional skills, knowledge and experiences and if they have scope they could execute these skills in building prosperous society and state. However, social action projects have provided them such kind of opportunity. By conducting programs and being involved in the process, students have not only created awareness among their perspective communities but also they became aware about the consequences of some social problems which they directly involve such as eve-teasing. Another positive aspect of social action project is that it is assisting state meeting development goal it committed to. The issues addressed by the schools are parallel to the MDG goals and since students are getting aware and being eager to involve themselves in addressing these issues, it is hoped that in future the occurrence of such societal problems would be decreased. Both students and teachers mentioned that such kind of program which deals with social issues needs to be continued. Students and teachers from Magura said that social action project has provided the ground for students gaining practical experiences about their society and could execute the experience to accelerate solution process. They wanted to get involved in such kind of programs in future. According to them, this opportunity would contribute in creating leadership qualities among the students. Teachers from Chudanga and Lalmonirhat mentioned that after participating in social action projects, students were found very eager to involve in the process and after participating in project implementation, they feel proud of “Doing something” for their society. While teachers from Kurigram, Moulvibazar, Chittagong mentioned that involving students and community in the process has paved the way for schools increasing mutual relationship with other social actors and the sense of working in an integral manner to address societal problems has developed among them. Almost all teachers involved in social action project mentioned that students and teachers gained basic idea on using internet and since the reports have been uploaded, the name of schools get familiar to other in home and abroad.

Besides, the news of the programs they conducted got coverage in media familiarizing them to others. Through media coverage they could also indirectly create awareness among other people in other areas. On the other hand, students mentioned that social action project is an opportunity for them having linkage and good interaction with other students between in and outside country. This also has made them able exchanging ideas, thought, cultural diversity with others. They further mentioned that this initiative has enabled them involved serving their perspective society. Students further mentioned that because of being involved in social action projects, their familiarity among people in the area has increased as when they walk over roads, people interacted with them appreciating their initiative. This has increased the social status of students and they feel respected to get such treatment from the society which also increased their willingness to do more. Students also mentioned that participating in social action projects has increased their knowledge on some particular issues such as government laws, conventions, climate crisis, social crisis etc. Discussants in the meeting and discussion while delivering speeches exchanged ideas; shared knowledge and provided contemporary information and students snatched this information to enrich themselves. According to the schools and their reports, the community people, local administrations, social workers and others were very pleased seeing students getting involved is such societal issues. They even expressed solidarities with students and teachers by attending in the discussions and meetings arranged by schools. They also appreciate the initiative taken by British Council.

 11. Limitations

Limitation that observed during facilitating programs was generally technical, particularly related with ICT. Since one of the major objectives of social action projects is increasing ICT skill of the students and teachers so that they could upload their reports and share with others in home and abroad therefore, this limitations need to be addressed. mWhile facilitating schools BARCIK found that the ICT kits were not properly shared among schools leading most of the schools asking for those equipments and where these equipments are shared, teachers found difficulty in operating them due to low frequency of internet and lacking ICT skills.

Another thing is that few cluster coordinators were found having very little concept on ICT but ICT kits were provided to them. But for not knowing to operate the equipments, proper utilization of the ICT kits was not ensured. In most cases, the activities of social action projects were controlled and managed by the teachers and students are merely participants; their participation in the management was found not satisfactory. But social action projects were supposed to be student-led.

Almost all schools involved in social action project of British Council have put forward some recommendations which they believed if addressed, implementation of social action activities would be done properly and the objectives of the project also could be met easily. Hence, here are some recommendations of the schools along with the BARCIK’s one:

• Almost all schools wanted the continuation of the social action project and if it is stopped immediately it would lessen the credibility, social status and well developed mutual relationship of the schools with communities and other social actors. Besides, the zeal and willingness of students to do something for their society would get destroyed in the bud.

• ICT equipments along with training need to be provided to the schools for properly implementation of the activities as well as share their works with other social actors both in home and abroad. Besides, the utilization of these equipments needs to be ensured including ensuring speedy internet networks.

• The time frame for implementing social action projects need to be extended. The schedule should be set up in consonance with the governmental programs and schools academic curriculum (First term, mid term and final exams, summer and winter vacation).

• Most of the schools mentioned that the grant provided for implementing projects is too small to conduct activities properly. Therefore, they proposed to increase the amount of grant in the next SAP.

• Schools also proposed to arrange exposure visits, adventurous and cultural activities along with social action project.

• Schools recommended providing award to those schools which showed best performances in implementing SAP. This will encourage schools conducting social action project successfully and create eagerness among them. Besides, a positive competition will develop among schools.

• More schools could be covered in the next phase particularly which showed interest to get involved.

• Both BARCIK and schools recommended ensuring intensive monitoring of the projects and schools activities.

• Schools should be made accountable regarding implementation of their project activities, producing reports and keeping financial records. This will ensure the smooth implementation of social action project.

• Re-orientation should be organized before schools implement their activities on the selected issue to make students and teachers informative and well-perceived about it. This will ensure them implementing their activities with success.

• A publication should be printed to cover the stories of schools as well as the feedback from the community and students. This publication should be disseminated to partner and non-partner schools to indirectly create awareness in other areas.

• Integration between the governmental programs and that of social action project needs to be made to ensure active participation of students and teachers as well as communities.

• Participation of students in the management and planning of social action projects should be ensured to make the initiative more student-led.

If these recommendations are taken into consideration sincerely, implementation of social action projects would be easier. The eagerness of students and teachers will increase. However, in spite of some limitations, the first phase of social action project was implemented successfully. Numbers of social issues were addressed in the first phase and students were found pleased having involved in the societal issues. The programs implemented have crated awareness among people of all ages. It is mentionable that while facilitating schools implementing social action projects, BARCIK found that students even in remote areas possess innovative idea and presentation skills. They are vocal as well as progressive. They nicely identified their social problems and sketched their possible solutions. If opportunity is given, the students can exploit their merit for the well-being of society and contribute in the solution process of social problems. Thus such kind of social action project which deal with social problems solutions and involve students and teachers together need to be continued.