Gyanerhat: School Based Local Knowledge Centre
Practical Answers, Practical Action Bangladesh
Borokhata, Hatibandha, Lalmonirhat
Prepared by: R. I. Akram, Sr. Knowledge Officer, Practical Answers Bangladesh
Introduction
A local knowledge centre is being set up at a high
school of Borokhata union, Hatibandha upazila of
Lalmonirhat district northern area of Bangladesh. This
knowledge centre is near by Dimla upazila of
Nilphamari district, Patgram upazila of Lalmonirhat
district and Tista barrage. Union parishad, Market and
bus stand is beside this knowledge centre.
It is made MOU with school committee and than
committee provided a room of school to set up this
knowledge centre.
To manage this knowledge centre a managing
committee is formation with eleven members. UNO
of Hatibandha upazila is president of this committee
and head teacher of Borokhata high school is general
secretary. NGO representative, local elite person and
another school teachers representative is member of
this committee and upazila Agriculture officer, upazila
livestock officer of Hatibandha upazila is advisor.
Services
It is found that after analysis the recent experience of
knowledge management, it is not sufficient to solve
any problem through only advice, it required input
and service. The services from local knowledge centre
are available as follows:
Agriculture advice, Computer training, Photocopy, Photo
print, Vegetable seed sale, Vaccine sale and service
Fisheries, Agriculture, Livestock related advice.
Provide necessary material like seed, vaccine, weeder.
Provide effective service about Fisheries, Agriculture,
Livestock related advice and service by traibed RTE.
Services Through
RTE (Rural Technology Extensionist): Trained RTEs are
providing support to solve different type of problem
from farmers at their own villages and also another
areas
Govt. official: Monthly one day Govt. official
(Agriculture, Livestock) comes at gyaner Hat (Local
Knowledge Centre) and provide advice to farmers to
solve agricultural and livestock related problems.
RTC staff: Two staffs is working with Local Knowledge
Centre and they are receiving enquiry from farmers
and also make connection between RTE, Govt. official
and related expert.
Regular Activity of Knowledge Centre
Courtyard session
Leaf let distribution
Expert farmers talk show
Story writing or success farmers with picture and
hanging at union council and school campus.
Technical enquiry collection
Follow of RTE
Different result provide through internet
RTE debriefing meeting
Computer training
Milking and postering
Equipments and Devices at Knowledge Centre
Computer, Multimedia projector, Photocopier, Fridge,
Photo printer, Laser printer, Scanner, Fan, PH-meter,
Digital camera, movie camera etc.
Beneficiaries
Farmers Students, Teachers, Businessman,
unemployed young people, Employee
Cost recovery approach
This knowledge centre is running by cost recovery
approach. Full time two staff is working in this centre so
it is essential to pay some honorarium/salary and other
cost, to running this centre smoothly Practical Action
Bangladesh provided some equipments from which can
earn some money. Equipments are Computer,
Photocopier, Photo printer, Digital camera.
Looking changing
Local people/farmers are coming at knowledge centre
and receiving service.
Guardians are sending their child to learn computer.
NGOs workers are coming to using internet
Students are coming to receive different result through
internet
Job seeker are receiving circulation from daily news
paper and internet
Challenges
No profit of school
Migration of RTE
Slow internet Connectivity
Electric equipment repairing problem
Electrical load shading in a day
Farmers fill shy to enter into this school based centre.