Leading a rural education revolution

Manama: Sir Fazle Hassan Abed has been awarded the first World Innovation Summit for Education (Wise) Prize for Education in recognition of his 40-year career dedicated to alleviating poverty through education.

A specially designed gold medal bearing the word "education" in more than 50 languages was presented to Abed in Doha by Qatar's Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani before an audience of 1,300 delegates at the opening session of the third education summit.

Abed founded Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (Brac), in 1972 to address the humanitarian crisis that followed the country's struggle for independence.

Over the next four decades he built the world's largest and most efficient non-government organisation (NGO) with 120,000 workers, based on the principle of empowering people to grow as individuals, to manage the welfare of their families and to contribute to their societies. Its learning and teaching activities now reach almost 140 million people in 10 Asian, African and Central American countries.

Under Abed's guidance they have acquired the tools to set up their own micro-credit businesses, become health workers, or teach generations of children.

To achieve this, he established and nurtured international networks of like-minded individuals, organisations and government institutions.

Brac is also one of the largest non-government providers of education in the world, contributing directly to the pre-primary, primary and secondary education of more than 10 million students. It concentrates on bringing education to children and young people who are not reached by the traditional education system.

"Abed's life and career embody the values of Wise [Innovation Summit]" Shaikh Abdullah Bin Ali Al Thani, Chairman of Wise, said in his citation of the Laureate. "He recognised that education is a passport to social inclusion and opportunity. He discovered a successful formula, and he adapted and expanded it — first in Bangladesh and then in other countries.

As a direct consequence, millions of people around the world lead healthier, happier and more productive lives.

His vision, resourcefulness and determination are vital ingredients of the innovation process and he stands as an example to all of us who believe that education, more than anything else, determines the destiny of individuals and societies.

The jury saw him as an ideal Wise Prize Laureate." In his acceptance remarks, Abed said: "I would like to thank the Qatar Foundation for instituting this magnificent prize and for honouring me and Brac with its first instalment. I have discovered time and again in my four decades of work with Brac that education is the fundamental catalyst for change."

Major accolade

The establishment of the Wise Prize was announced at the last summit in December 2010 as a major accolade to recognise an individual or team for an outstanding, world-class contribution to education. In addition to the gold medal, the winner receives $500,000.

Following an international call for nominations, an 11-strong international committee of educational experts made a preliminary assessment and a high-level Jury of five eminent individuals, chaired by Shaikh Abdullah, took the final decision.

Over more than 40 years Brac has become one of the largest non-government providers of education in the world.

Brac concentrates on bringing education to children and young people who are not reached by the traditional education system.

Lifetime of service