This study is a part of a larger mixed-method study on evaluating the impact of an adolescent student program of the Government of Bangladesh on school completion, gender equality, and knowledge about sexual and reproductive health among the adolescents. While an RCT is being implemented to assess the overall impact of the program, BIGD is conducting the qualitative component of the study, in collaboration with the James P Grant School of Public health, to develop an understanding of the multi-dimensional capabilities of adolescent girls and boys, and how the program interventions shape these capabilities in different urban and rural contexts.
Researchers: Maheen Sultan; Lopita Huq; Pragyna Mahpara; Saklain Al Mamun; Taslima Aktar
Partners: Gender and Adolescence: Global Evidence (GAGE); James P Grant School of Public Health
Timeline: 2020-2024
Status: Ongoing
Contact: Maheen Sultan; maheen.sultan@bracu.ac.bd
Context
To address high rates of school dropouts among adolescents in Bangladesh, in 2020, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) started the Adolescent Student Program (ASP) in collaboration with the World Bank. The goal of the ASP is to help address key issues causing early school dropouts among adolescent girls and boys, ultimately leading to enhanced cycle completion, gender-equitable behaviour as well as knowledge about sexual and reproductive health across Bangladesh. To support the evidence-based scale-up of this program, at the request of MoE, this multi-year impact evaluation will rigorously evaluate the ASP program via a mixed-methods design.
Objectives
This multi-year mixed-methods impact evaluation will evaluate the impact of various components of the Adolescent Student Program (ASP) intervention at the school level, with the overall aim to improve adolescent well-being. Three core research questions are as follows:
This study is relevant to SDG 4 (Quality Education), particularly to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Methodology
Sylhet and Chittagong divisions have been selected by the GOB/World Bank program as these are considered to be relatively disadvantaged with regards to adolescent health and education. In these areas, researchers from the Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) and George Washington University are conducting a school-based cluster Randomized Control Trial (RCT) to evaluate the impact of the intervention.
While the impact evaluation is focused on the intervention outcomes, Gender and Adolescents Global Evidence (GAGE) program is also interested in collecting panel data to better understand the multi-dimensional capabilities of adolescent girls and boys, and how the program interventions shape these in different urban and rural contexts. We include questions on education, age- and gender-based violence, health, voice and agency, economic empowerment, psychosocial wellbeing, and gender norms, in line with the GAGE Conceptual Framework. In addition, the adolescents previously surveyed will be followed up to assess the impact of COVID 19.
Qualitative research was undertaken with a subset of 31 schools purposively selected from the randomized sample based on key variables: location (urban and rural areas in Chittagong and Sylhet); institution type (government school, government-approved schools receiving the monthly pay order or MPO); treatment arm allocation; school performance on secondary school certificate examination; and school population gender (single-sex or co-ed schools). Additionally, qualitative research was undertaken in one non-MPO school and one madrassa in order to assess potential similarities and differences between government / MPO /non-MPO / madrassa institutions. In each school, grade 7 and 8 were selected as these are the grades where adolescent reproductive health education is given. In co-ed schools, two boys and two girls are targeted in each grade. In a single-sex school, we targetted four boys or four girls equally divided into grades 7 and 8.
Qualitative methods included individual interviews with adolescents enrolled in grade 7 and grade 8 in 2020; individual interviews with parents of the nodal adolescents and finally key informant interviews with school teachers. In the COVID-19 context, interviews were conducted over the phone.
Findings and Recommendations
Study ongoing.
