Bangladesh’s pioneering floating school initiative has received international recognition as Sidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha formally accepted the UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize 2025 at a ceremony organized by UNESCO Dhaka on Wednesday.

The prestigious award honors Sidhulai’s innovative solar-powered floating schools, which bring education, literacy, and essential services to children and communities living in the remote waterways of Chalan Beel, Bangladesh’s largest wetland ecosystem.

The ceremony was attended by Hon’ble State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj as Chief Guest. Special guests included Devabrata Chakraborty, Director General (Additional Charge) of the Bureau of Non-Formal Education (BNFE), and Rasheda K. Choudhury, Executive Director and CEO of Campaign for Popular Education (CAMPE).

The event was chaired by Dr. Susan Vize, Head of Office and UNESCO Representative to Bangladesh.

Opening the event, Norihide Furukawa, Head of Education at UNESCO Dhaka, presented an overview of the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes 2025 and highlighted this year’s theme, “Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era.”

Speaking at the ceremony, State Minister Bobby Hajjaj emphasized the importance of innovative educational approaches for hard-to-reach and climate-vulnerable communities.

“Ensuring access to quality education for every child remains our commitment. In climate-vulnerable and hard-to-reach areas, solutions that respond to local realities are particularly important. Such initiatives not only expand educational inclusion but also help equip future generations with the knowledge and confidence they need to thrive.

The Government of Bangladesh is working to support and scale effective approaches that leave no learner behind,” he said.

In 2025, Sidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha was selected as one of three global recipients of the UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize, alongside Ireland’s National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) and Morocco’s Ministry of Education. The award recognizes outstanding and innovative literacy initiatives that support rural populations and out-of-school youth.

Dr. Susan Vize underscored the broader significance of literacy in building inclusive and resilient societies.

“Literacy is about much more than learning to read and write. It empowers people to make informed decisions, seize opportunities, and participate actively in society. In a rapidly changing world, innovative approaches that promote inclusive and lifelong learning are becoming increasingly important,” she said.

Founded on a simple but transformative idea, Sidhulai’s Floating School project was created to overcome the barriers posed by seasonal flooding and poor transportation in the Chalan Beel region.

During the monsoon season, when rivers and canals overflow, many children are unable to travel to conventional schools, leading to disrupted education and high dropout rates.

To address this challenge, Sidhulai developed a unique fleet of floating schools—boats equipped with all the facilities of a traditional classroom. Built using local boatbuilding expertise and materials, each vessel is powered by solar energy, ensuring environmentally sustainable operations while bringing learning opportunities directly to communities.

Today, Sidhulai operates 56 boats across the wetland region. Among them, 26 serve as floating classrooms, 10 function as libraries and computer laboratories, and eight are used as training centers.

Additional boats provide healthcare services, recreational spaces, and transportation support, creating a comprehensive community-based service network on water.

Reflecting on the recognition, Architect Mohammed Rezwan, Executive Director of Sidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha, credited local communities for the success of the initiative.

“Sustainable solutions are built on the knowledge, experience, and participation of local communities. We believe that the people who face challenges every day often hold the most effective ideas for addressing them.

This recognition is a tribute to the collective efforts of countless individuals working in remote communities and serves as an inspiration to reach even more people in the years ahead,” he said.

Since 1967, the UNESCO International Literacy Prizes have recognized excellence and innovation in literacy efforts around the world.

Supported by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the UNESCO Confucius Literacy Prize is awarded annually to three organizations and carries a prize value of US$30,000.

Bangladesh has previously received this distinction through Friendship in 2023 and Dhaka Ahsania Mission in 2013, further highlighting the country’s growing contribution to innovative literacy and educational solutions on the global stage.

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