The British Council Partner Schools Principals’ Meet 2024 was held on September 29, at Radisson Blu Water Garden in Dhaka.
This annual event aims to bring together school leaders from across the country in a dynamic environment to exchange ideas, share experiences, discuss challenges, and celebrate successes. During the event, the British Council highlighted the impact of its collaboration with partner schools, particularly through large-scale, efficient exam administration and by offering a range of tailored support and benefits to meet the needs of these schools.
The event facilitated networking and collaboration among school leaders. Approximately 250 school leaders from 183 partner schools attended the gathering.
Stephen Forbes, Country Director of the British Council in Bangladesh, said in his welcome remarks, “It is a proud moment for us to bring together more than 250 school leaders on this platform, which enables all of us to network, connect with one another and learn from each other. We thank our partner schools for their continuous collaboration. We believe this platform is a testament to our partnership. Congratulations to the ‘Your World Competition’ winners and the recipient of the British Council Action Research Grant 2023-24 for their tremendous achievements. We believe that these initiatives help Bangladeshi students and professionals flourish and develop their talents for a better future.”
During the event, the winners of the Your World Video Competition 2023-24 and the Partner Schools Action Research Programme were awarded crests. A total of 73 participants from the Your World Video Competition 2023-24 attended. The competition is an annual event that provides opportunities for educators and students to engage in a global Partner Schools activity, helping to build core skills, inspire future generations, and celebrate innovation.
The Partner Schools Action Research Programme supports teachers and school leaders in driving meaningful improvements in teacher development, leadership, technology, and student outcomes. It fosters a culture of continuous professional development and innovation within the educational community. The grant available for each successful applicant in this programme is up to £2,500. Last year’s Research Grant winner, Neeti Tripathi from CIDER International School presented a session titled The Road to Reward: British Council Action Research Grant 2023-24.
This year, 15 researchers from partner schools won the grant, including two from Bangladesh: Md. Murshidul Islam from BAF Shaheen English Medium College and Fahmida Sharmin from Sylhet International School.
Maxim Raimann, Exams Director Bangladesh, British Council, presented the British Council’s achievements and plans for supporting partner schools. He also introduced new initiatives and offers that will benefit schools, teachers, and learners.
Other highlights of the event included sessions on Mental Health and Wellbeing by Monira Rahman, Executive Director and Founder of the Innovation for Wellbeing Foundation (IWF), an online session titled Leading the Charge: Principals as AI Champions and Guardians Against Deepfakes by Dr. Kudzayi Savious Tarisayi, Senior Lecturer, Department of Curriculum Studies, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa, and Ensuring Integrity: A Deep Dive into British Council Exam Operations by Zunayed Ahmed, Director of Operations Examinations, British Council.
Among other notable attendees were Abdullah Al Mamun Bin Quddus, Regional and Development Manager, Nepal and Bangladesh, Pearson Edexcel; Sameen Yaser Haque, Customer Service and Operations Officer, Bangladesh, Pearson Edexcel; Shahin Reza and representatives from HSBC who talked about ongoing collaboration with the British Council. Sarwat Reza, Director of Business Development, closed the session with her remarks.
