According to the Institute of Education Sciences, the 2010 dropout rates of US high school students was 7.4 percent. In Bangladesh, almost 50 percent of primary students dropout by the fifth grade. Poverty has driven them into informal employment in the streets, where they may work 10-12 hour days for a mere 30 taka (32 cents). These children make up about 11.3 percent of the total labor force, but cannot pursue any form of higher education or training. Fortunately, organizations such as MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) and TVET (Technical and Vocational Education Training) have emerged to help train and secure longterm and higher paying employment for children between the ages of 15-18. The European Union has donated 2.5 million euros to these programs. These new jobs have a guaranteed starting salary of 5000 taka ($62) per month. Currently, 45,000 students are in the program. There have already been 140,000 graduates who have already found secure, permanent jobs with a brighter looking future.
Source:
Naimul Haq, “Poverty Plagues Children in Bangladesh,” Inter Press Service New Agency, January 2, 2013, http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/01/poverty-plagues-children-in-bangladesh/
Student Researcher: Koji Abe, College of Marin
Faculty Evaluator: Susan Rahman, College of Marin