KUMON CONNECT in Sheikh Russel Digital Lab (SRDL)

The Department of Information and Communication Technology (DoICT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with BRAC Kumon Limited (BKL) on the 23rd of January in Dhaka. The MoU was signed to introduce KUMON CONNECT, a digital method of learning in Sheikh Russel Digital Labs (SRDL) nationwide. The signatories of the MoU were the Director General of DoICT, Mr. Md. Mostafa Kamal, and the Managing Director of BKL, Lady Syeda Sarwat Abed. The event was graced by the presence of Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP, Honorable State Minister, ICT Division, Mr. NM Zeaul Alam PAA, Senior Secretary, ICT Division, Mr. Yuji Ando, Country Representative, JETRO Dhaka Office, and TANEMURA Hidekazu, Program Advisor of JICA Bangladesh Office.

In October 2022, after successfully hosting the Advanced Student Honor Roll (ASHR) Ceremony, BKL was asked to collaborate with DoICT for the implementation of Kumon Connect in the prestigious SRDL project. To meet the Government of Bangladesh’s Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041, the SRDL project’s objectives include developing a digitally and technologically well-equipped Bangladesh, ensuring quality education, enhancing employment skills, and developing the language competency of students.

Through DoICT and BKL’s collaboration in implementing Kumon Connect in SRDLs, it is expected that the benefits of the Kumon learning method will spread to students across the country and will help the nation to create more Smart Individuals. According to DoICT officials, Kumon Connect will be initially launched in SRDLs across 6 regions before expanding nationwide; some of the regions being Singra, Belkuchi, Gopalganj, and Tungipara.

During the event, Honorable State Minister Mr. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, MP stated, “In order to develop a Smart Bangladesh, we require Smart Citizens. And in order to develop Smart Citizens, we need Smart Future Generations. And this is why we emphasize so much on BRAC Kumon since we believe that this is the first step to developing a new Learning Mechanism or Ecosystem. And we wholeheartedly believe that by 2025 in 13000, and by the end of 2041 Kumon method will be available in 35000 Sheikh Russel Digital Labs (SRDL).”

Managing Director of BKL, Lady Syeda Sarwat Abed said, “We brought the Kumon Method to Bangladesh with the intention of completely removing children’s need for rote learning and the hope that they can learn everything by themselves. After coming here today, I know that Abed’s dream has really come true. Through this project, we will be able to spread the Kumon Method in Bangladesh with the help of the ICT Division.”

The Chief Representative of JETRO Bangladesh Office Yuji Ando said, “We are delighted that as a result of the partnership between Bangladesh Government’s ICT department and BRAC Kumon, more children of Bangladesh will have the opportunity to experience Kumon. We are willing to provide all kinds of assistance required from our side in this regard.”

Founded in 1958 in Japan, Kumon is the world’s largest after-school education program which enables students to progress independently through self-learning. To date, millions of children have done Kumon across 62 countries. Top Japanese Universities have repeatedly shown through their academic research that over 95% of students who went through the Kumon learning method have experienced numerous positive effects such as improvement in problem-solving attitude, processing skills, correction skills, and thinking skills. DoICT and BKL officials believe that similar improvements can be seen in Bangladesh’s students through the spread of the Kumon method in SRDLs.

Kumon Connect will first be launched at the Singra Damdama Pilot School & College in Natore.