USAID’s new five-year, $18 million Shobai Miley Shikhi (“Everyone Learns Together”) project
will improve learning opportunities for primary school children in hard-to-reach areas with a

focus on those with disabilities or special needs.

DHAKA, November 20, 2022 — Today, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Mission Director Kathryn D. Stevens joined the Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass
Education (MoPME) Farid Ahmed, and Director General of the Directorate of Primary
Education (DPE) Shah Rezwan Hayat to launch USAID’s new five-year $18 million Shobai
Miley Shikhi (“Everyone learns together”) inclusive education project.

With a goal of creating a more inclusive education system, the USAID Shobai Miley Shikhi
project will train teachers to improve their skills in reaching students of all abilities in the
classroom and provide specialized learning materials. The new project will engage parents,
communities, and advocacy organizations for persons with disabilities to alleviate some of the
unique challenges affecting students with special needs. The program will also strive to reduce
stigma towards students with disabilities and to help special-needs children position themselves
to complete their education.

“Improving the quality of learning for children with disabilities and making sure no child is left
behind in their educational pursuits is a priority for the U.S. government. This is why we are
enthused to launch this new project with our partners from the Government of Bangladesh as we
strive to achieve our shared vision of helping children of all skill levels and abilities complete
their studies,” said USAID Mission Director Kathryn Stevens.

The USAID Shobai Miley Shikhi project is implemented by Research Triangle Institute
International and will work closely with the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education in targeted
upazilas to begin rolling out the new inclusive education project.