Background:
As
part of the Education and Social Justice Fellowship, in June 2014 student
Kendra Layton interviewed Ratul and Shimul, students at Mirpur Agricultural
Workshop and Training School (MAWTS) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A Trust of Caritas,
MAWTS was founded 1976 in response to a demand for technical-vocational schools
after Bangladesh's war of independence again Pakistan. MAWTS offers a four-year diploma in engineering
course, three-year mechanical course, and short, modular courses. MAWTS also
has a unique model of training and production where students manufacture
anything from tables to power tillers while gaining theoretical and practical
knowledge. Ratul and Shimul come from rural regions of Bangladesh and stay at
the hostel in MAWTS. In this interview they reflect on the challenges of being
students, what they would change about Bangladesh, and what they hope to do
after graduation.
Tell me
a little more about yourselves.
Ratul: I am Ratul. I am in my third year of the four-year diploma in electrical engineering. I am from Tangail and I have a mother and two sisters.
Shimul: I am Shimul. I am in my third year of the four-year diploma in electronics. I am from Sylhet and I have a mom, dad, brother, and sister.
How did you learn about MAWTS?
Ratul: I learned about MAWTS from Caritas’ newsletter.
Shimul: I learned about it from my friend.
What is your favorite thing about studying here?
Ratul: I love the campus, the rules, and the discipline.
Shimul: I also like the discipline and the rules.
What is the most difficult thing about studying here?
Ratul: Gardening, cleaning, and food preparation.
Shimul: It is difficult to maintain the hostel rules. We clean all the time. We also feel a lot of mental pressure in our studies.
What would you change about Bangladesh?
Ratul: We would change Bangladesh’s politics and economy. We are a poor country. Many children are living in poverty who that do not have access to food, education, and health.
Shimul: We also have very few opportunities for technical education. We need to develop our technical education so that we are on par with other countries.
What do you hope to do after you graduate?
Ratul: I want to find a job in Dhaka. If I have a chance to go abroad, I want to go there to find my work.
Shimul: When I complete my studies, I want to go abroad to find a good job.
Ratul: I am Ratul. I am in my third year of the four-year diploma in electrical engineering. I am from Tangail and I have a mother and two sisters.
Shimul: I am Shimul. I am in my third year of the four-year diploma in electronics. I am from Sylhet and I have a mom, dad, brother, and sister.
How did you learn about MAWTS?
Ratul: I learned about MAWTS from Caritas’ newsletter.
Shimul: I learned about it from my friend.
What is your favorite thing about studying here?
Ratul: I love the campus, the rules, and the discipline.
Shimul: I also like the discipline and the rules.
What is the most difficult thing about studying here?
Ratul: Gardening, cleaning, and food preparation.
Shimul: It is difficult to maintain the hostel rules. We clean all the time. We also feel a lot of mental pressure in our studies.
What would you change about Bangladesh?
Ratul: We would change Bangladesh’s politics and economy. We are a poor country. Many children are living in poverty who that do not have access to food, education, and health.
Shimul: We also have very few opportunities for technical education. We need to develop our technical education so that we are on par with other countries.
What do you hope to do after you graduate?
Ratul: I want to find a job in Dhaka. If I have a chance to go abroad, I want to go there to find my work.
Shimul: When I complete my studies, I want to go abroad to find a good job.
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