Summit Corporation and Beximco Holdings have awarded a matching grant of Tk45 million per annum for three years to JAAGO Foundation, enabling them to educate 4,000 students across Bangladesh. 

With this grant, JAAGO hopes to make a sustainable change in the lives of marginalised children and accelerate the development process of Bangladesh. The duration of this agreement is three years. 

The foundation uses its Unesco award-winning teaching model – using ICT to ensure education over telephone calls, short messaging services and video conferencing systems. Once the education institutions open, the grant will be used to run the digital schools.

"The excellent work of JAAGO in using web-based learning for the poorer students all over Bangladesh is perhaps a model of educating in the future," Muhammed Aziz Khan, founder chairman of Summit Group of Companies, said.

"Every child has the right to education – the right to go to school and learn. For too many, however, that right has been left in tatters by the Covid-19 pandemic. Thankfully, we can cash in on the robust countrywide digital infrastructure and information technology prowess to enable distance learning opportunities for many," said Shayan F Rahman, advisor to the board of Beximco Group.

"Everyone has been affected, especially the education sector, during the pandemic. At such a moment, Summit and Beximco have come forward to support the sector. I hope that this initiative will encourage other corporate houses to step forward and make a difference in the community," Korvi Rakshand, founder of JAAGO Foundation, said.

At the virtual signing ceremony, Summit Group directors Fadiah Khan, Azeeza Aziz Khan and Salman Khan were present. From Beximco, Ajmal Kabir, group director, and Samira Zuberi Himika, executive director, were present.