The British Council hosted a symposium focused on showcasing or sharing best practices for improving education, skills and access for young people, including young women and girls and creating opportunities for collaboration and mutual learning by deepening our understanding of each other’s work and expertise. The event took place on November 30 at the organisation’s Fuller Road auditorium in Dhaka.
The programme, titled “From Barriers to Breakthroughs: A Symposium on Education and Employment for Girls and Youth,” brought together education sector leaders, senior government officials, and representatives from NGOs, INGOs, academia, business, and leading think tanks under a dynamic and highly engaging platform for dialogue and collaboration.
Participants shared insights from their ongoing programmes, discussed persistent gaps between education and employment, and explored ways to build coordinated pathways that can help young women and youth transition from classrooms into meaningful work.
The symposium was the culmination of a recent mapping initiative undertaken by the British Council to get insights from organisations working on girls’ education and youth employment.
Debabrata Chakraborty, Director General of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE), attended the event as Chief Guest, while Dr Safiqul Islam, former Director of the BRAC Education Programme, delivered the keynote address.
Addressing the event, Debabrata Chakraborty said, ‘In Bangladesh, reports indicate that 6.7% of children aged 8–10 never enrol in school, and girls face additional barriers at primary, secondary, and higher education levels—resulting in women’s workforce participation remaining low at only 44%. Education and employment are deeply connected. To touch the future and leave no woman or girl behind, we must invest in schools, healthcare, and resources, and ensure multi-stakeholder collaboration among government, civil society, and the private sector, working together.’
The keynote highlighted that Bangladesh’s education system faces critical challenges, including poor quality, inadequate data use, under-resourced areas, teacher shortages, and high dropout rates, especially among girls. To ensure inclusive, future-ready education and employment opportunities, increased investment, innovative strategies, and strong collaboration among government, civil society, and the private sector are essential.
Stephen Forbes, Country Director of the British Council, remarked, ‘At the British Council, girls’ education is one of our highest priorities. Our flagship programme, English and Digital Skills for Girls’ Education (EDGE), empowers young girls with future-ready skills to help them grow as a potential workforce. Over the last few years, we equipped thousands of young girls with these skills, and we believe they will translate their educational achievements into meaningful employment and economic empowerment. We urge everyone, from their respective positions, to come forward and adopt a collective strategy for a collective impact in empowering girls and young women, reducing the gender gap, and strengthening the economy.’
The symposium also featured presentations from leading organisations, including the British Council, BRAC, Plan International, and the Bureau of Non-Formal Education, showcasing effective practices in improving education, skills, and access for young people. Later, participants engaged in thematic breakout discussions to explore collaborative approaches to shared challenges.
The event featured a panel discussion on “Future Directions for Empowerment,” facilitated by Golam Kibria, Team Leader and Education Adviser at the British High Commission, with distinguished panellists including Rasheda K. Choudhury, Executive Director, CAMPE; Debabrata Chakraborty, Director General, BNFE; and Iqbal Hossain, Education Manager, UNICEF Bangladesh.
Rasheda K. Choudhury (Executive Director, CAMPE) remarked, ‘For girls’ education, violence against girls and concerns about safety and security remain the primary barriers. These issues, combined with traditional mindsets and socio-economic challenges, often lead to high dropout rates. There is also a significant policy gap between women empowerment initiatives and real-life field experiences. Decision-makers need to actively engage with entrepreneurs and employers to understand what skill sets will be essential over the next decade and address them accordingly.’
She also added, ‘Alongside government and non-government organisations, the private sector should also take an active role in prioritising girls’ education and employability skills as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. This collaborative approach can help bridge gaps in access to education and create sustainable pathways for women’s economic empowerment.’
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