Campaign For Popular Education is an advocacy and campaign network operating in Bangladesh since 1991.CAMPE which started its journey with only 15 member organizations and individuals have in the last twenty years grown to a credible membership of more than 1300 NGOs , researchers, educators and other Civil Society organizations and individuals sharing similar vision. The journey of CAMPE started
in the year 1990 following the Declaration of Education for All. CAMPE's programme interventions primarily focus on Policy Advocacy, Networking, Campaign, Research and Capacity Building of its members and partner organizations. CAMPE is committed to facilitate the process for sustainable and pro-poor policy frameworks which will in turn enable the achievement of Education for All goals. CAMPE works closely with policy makers, development partners and different national, regional and global forums. Since its inception, CAMPE has been trying to coordinate implementation of program interventions with the Government and other progressive institutions in order to facilitate participation of people in literacy and non-formal education movements. CAMPE has been an active member of Global Campaign for Education (GCE), Asian South Pacific Bureau of Adult Education (ASPBAE), International Council for Adult Education (ICAE) and Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP). CAMPE started its initial phase (1992-1995) with the support of the British ODA (AMOD), SIDA, OXFAM and PRIP/PACT. UNICEF and UNESCO also supported specific program components during this phase, which ended after two no cost extensions in June 1996. At that point of time CAMPE's main challenges were to identify its niche, clarify its vision and mission and establish its credibility as the representative body of education sector NGOs in Bangladesh. CAMPE started its second phase (1999-2000) under a new leadership and a revised management system with the support of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). Apart from one specific project, supported by UNESCO, which is completed, CAMPE is implementing some specific projects funded by MoEF/UNDP, SIDA, DFID and Oxfam-Novib (former Novib). The overall experience of core Development partners of CAMPE during this phase was positive in regard to program implementation but there were concerns for the need to strengthen CAMPE's capacity as an organization. It was also identified that CAMPE needed to seek new development partners and focus more on the issue of its sustainability. In its Third Phase (2002-2006) of CAMPE implemented Quality Education for All program with the support from SDC, EKN (former RNE) and Oxfam-Novib as core partners. CAMPE and its development partners jointly identified that institutional capacity and resource requirements are key issues for a successful implementation of Quality Education for All program. The mission for Phase III was focused on (i) Institutional Development Strategy, (ii) Organizational Development Plan (iii) Human Resource Development Plan, (iv) Gender Strategy, (v) Documentation and Communication Plan, and (vi) Development of Business Plan. This phase can be considered as a take-off phase. Programmatic interventions of the phase were completed with a no-cost extension of three months. The Fourth Phase (2007-2012) of CAMPE was to acquire accuracy and smooth implementation through advanced exercises to influence policy and practice change. All three core development partners have continued its support to this phase. In addition, relationship with government, regional and global arena has significantly enhanced. Core strategy for this phase was to address the Organizational and Programmatic issues as identified. The organizational issues included role clarification, Human Resource Development, Organizational Governance, Effective and Efficient Management, Organizational Sustainability, Leadership & Professionalism, and Gender Sensitivity. The programmatic issues included (i) Policy Advocacy and Networking, (ii) Program Sustainability and capacity Building, (iii) Quality Education, (iv) Promoting Basic and Value Education, (v) Introducing Trend Setting Activities, (vi) Improving Follow-up and Monitoring System, (vii) Involvement of Local Government and Community, (viii) Networking and Coordination, and ix) Widening the Sub-sector particularly to include pre-primary, skills development and TVET.
