Project Name: Promoting Equality in Madrasah Students (PEMS)

Duration: 2 years

Funded by: US Embassy Dhaka

Summary: Under the project ‘Promoting Equality in Madrasah Students (PEMS)’, Bangladesh Youth Leadership Center (BYLC) designed and conducted a series of classes and workshops to improve the knowledge base of Madrasah students in Chattogram on topics such as civic education, peace, and tolerance to foster social inclusion and curb susceptibility towards radical and extremist ideologies. The project started in August 2018 and continued until September 2019. The goal of this project was to provide male Madrasah students with positive perceptions related to diversity, non-violent conflict resolution, and inter-religious affairs. Moreover, the project encouraged Madrasah students to create positive change in their respective communities through activities such as peace dialogue and community service projects. The project focused on empowering Madrasah students and student organizations to become key communicators and leaders on topics that promote peaceful and non-violent action, religious tolerance, and pluralism. Also, the project design was such to provide participating students with the mechanisms for future success in the job sector, understanding of democratic institutions, leadership, sociopolitical reform, and communication skills.

In this project, four training programs (each spanning two months) were conducted in 12 selected Madrasah in Chattogram. The list of Madrasah selected for the training was shared with and approved by the PACOM team. In each of those 12 Madrasahs, five classes were conducted (one class per week). The curriculum of the training program was designed according to the scope of work (SOW) and finalized and approved by the PACOM team. After completion of the classes, the Madrasah students selected to work on some problems in their community for three weeks. Three pre-program focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 63 students from three Madrasah to assess the training needs of the students. Results of pre-FGDs were used as formative research to develop and refine the class and workshop curriculum. The pre-FGDs also helped in obtaining data related to the participants’ views on current national challenges, active citizenship, and religious and cultural diversity. Moreover, the pre-FGDs collected data on the Madrasah students’ career aspirations and their challenges as Madrasah students. After completion of the final two-month-long training, three post-program FGDs were conducted with 72 students from three Madrasahs. The post-program FGDs helped in assessing the change in the students’ views and perception regarding the topics discussed in the pre-program FGDs after completion of the training.

Each of the two-month-long training programs was followed by a capstone workshop. Along with the Madrasah students attending the training, non-Madrasah students also attended the capstone workshops. Promotion of the capstone workshops was done through newspaper advertisements and poster distribution. The effectiveness of the capstone workshop was evaluated through surveys at the beginning (entry survey) and end (exit survey) of the workshops. The entry and exit surveys helped in gauging the changes in attitudes and behaviors of the participants following exposure to the workshop.