AKA Dhaka hosts closing ceremony of KIX project

On 25 September, the Professional Development Centre (PDC) of the Aga Khan Academy Dhaka welcomed individuals from six government primary schools in the Dhaka division for a session as part of the Knowledge and Innovation Exchange (KIX) project.  

The KIX project – a programme by the Centre for the Study of Learning and Performance (CSLP) of Concordia University in partnership with the Aga Khan Academies, Wilfred Laurier University and World Vision Canada – aims to improve English literacy skills of early graders in Bangladesh, Rwanda and Kenya. As part of this, the Academy in Dhaka's PDC is implementing the KIX project in 13 government primary schools across eight divisions in Bangladesh, which consists of 13 teachers and over 800 students. 

The KIX project uses two tools from the Learning Toolkit+ (LTK+) – A Balanced Reading Approach for Children Always Designed to Achieve Best Results for All (ABRACADABRA) and Repository of eBooks and Digital Stories (READS). The first is an interactive instructional software to teach foundational literacy skills, while the latter provides an organised catalogue of free digital stories. With these tools and the professional development modules on offer, educators in government primary schools will get oriented with broadened literacy skills and corresponding sub-skills with a deeper understanding of multiple teaching approaches and practical tips.   

The session, attended by government primary school assistant teachers, head teachers and government officers, focused on celebrating the attendees’ graduation on the alphabetical module of the programme. The participants reflected on their learnings and their previous sessions, which consisted of skill-building exercises and hands-on learning. 

“After participating in the session, we learnt several teaching techniques and strategies along with the conceptual understanding of alphabetic knowledge,” said Assistant Teacher Jiesmin Akter of the RC Government Primary School, Dhaka.  

Reflecting on the session, Md Musle Uddin Bhuiya, the head of the PDC and outreach at the Academy, highlighted the eagerness of the participants to enhance their teaching experience through learning.  

"Our commitment is to integrate technology as a catalyst for literacy acquisition in the early grades classrooms to enhance literacy skills and use it for the betterment of society, " Mr Musle said. "The enthusiasm, passion and commitment our teachers showed throughout their engagement with the project made it more impactful. I believe the participants’ enthusiasm for learning encourages the spread of knowledge and insights to their peers and future generations." 

Dhaka District Primary Education Officer M A Aziz concluded the session, reflecting on the importance of the discussion and the KIX project overall.  

“If we can use this knowledge in classrooms and share it with our peers as well within and beyond the cluster, that would be sustainable and impactful for the teachers and children,” Mr Aziz said. “This way, the next generation will undergo technological transition, becoming more resilient, self-assured and knowledgeable to compete with the rest of the globe.”