CSR Fund Deployment Strategy in Primary Education

The Opportunity

Bangladesh has seen significant social transformation and poverty alleviation alongside economic growth. The country has made remarkable progress in increasing literacy rates and primary school enrollment rates, with 98% of primary school-aged children currently enrolled in schools. Nevertheless, primary school children face persistent challenges such as –

• Low quality of infrastructure,
• Significant dropout rates and relatively low progression rates to secondary education,
• Lack of access to adequate quality teachers, and
• Limitations in education funding.

To tackle the aforementioned challenges, LC Packaging, a Netherland-headquartered packaging conglomerate operating in Bangladesh under a JV arrangement, has opted to deploy CSR funding that will enhance the livelihood of the low-income households residing in the vicinity of the factory. They commissioned LightCastle to conduct a detailed pro-poor CSR fund deployment strategy for maximizing the impact. 

The Approach

LightCastle Partners have used a 3-step methodology to assess the fund deployment strategy, focusing on primary education. The team conducted a household survey comprising households near the factory to understand their –

• Socioeconomic behavior,
• Consumption and savings pattern, and
• Education preferences.

Along with it, key informant interviews (KII) of primary school administrators, parents of students, the primary education officer of the region, and education development organizations were conducted to gauge the underlying challenges and scope of opportunities in the education system of the region.

From the inferences of the survey and interviews, LightCastle Partners have identified that the primary schools in the catchment area lack access to quality teachers, basic infrastructural amenities, including WASH and playground facilities, and digital tools to enhance the learning experience.

The Future

Based on the study findings, LightCastle Partners has suggested four prospective intervention areas that will elevate the education standard in the vicinity of the factory. These models range from a complete hands-on approach to a hands-off approach and include educational organizations in the process. Additionally, a comparative analysis of the models has been furnished to assist the management make strategic decisions.