Expanding Informal Sector Activities in Dhaka City. A Case Study of Education Coaching

The study of urban informal sector education has gained importance and expanded the scope and contents of the study in the last thirty years. One of the major challenges for geographers is finding the dynamics of this sector, as it is expanding gradually and a huge number of students are related to this activities. This research examines the role of education coaching as an urban informal activity. Dhaka city as a center of education has been experiencing the proliferation of coaching centers for the last twenty years. The mushrooming of coaching centers is symptomatic of the failure of Bangladesh's education system as a whole. Formal education institutions are failing to provide students with necessary instructions in the classrooms. This is why the guardians and their wards are making a beeline for education coaching. This research aims to describe the process of growth of coaching centers as an informal sector activity with a special emphasis on students' involvement in this process. As an empirical research, it follows a detailed questionnaire survey and direct interview method. This study discusses the size of economy controlled by the coaching centers, students' dependency on coaching and the impact of these phenomena.

Autorentext

Sifat Ara Siddique has completed honours and masters degree with first class position from the Department of Geography and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh. As a part of fulfillment of her post-graduation, she completed this dissertation.

Leseprobe
Text Sample:
CHAPTER THREE
EDUCATION COACHING AS AN INFORMAL ACTIVITY: ITS DEVELOPMENT AND STUDENTS' INVOLVEMENT IN THIS ACTIVITY
3.1 Introduction
Informal sector plays a controversial role in urban economy. It creates employment opportunity but offers poor job security and in many cases jobs are low paid. Informal activities are well known for their heterogeneous characteristics. Describing the characteristics of informality for the purpose of generalization is not easy because the border between the formal and informal sector is hazy. Most of the economic activities start with informal characteristics then they take the shape of formal activity. Education coaching as an informal sector is a significant but not well understood phenomenon. It has been practicing years after years in our country. It was emerged from a home based shape and now operating in different shape. At present, it is one of the largest informal activities of the city that fulfils the extra educational need of the large number of people. This chapter is designed to explore the characteristics, development process of this activity as well as students' involvement in this activity.
3.2 Education Coaching in Dhaka City
Dhaka City is the commercial and educational hub of the country. Renowned schools, colleges and universities are situated in the city. Large numbers of students come from different parts of the country for getting admission on those institutions. But the formal institutions are limited in proportion with the number of students. As a result competition has been increased. Taking this as a benefit numerous coaching centers have been developed in the city. These coaching centers are found both in commercial and residential area. But it is difficult to find out the actual number of these coaching centers. The vast sector is operating in an unregulated manner. It is almost impossible to identify the number of private tutors and group coaching; as they do not use any identity. Only organized coaching centers are identified through their commercial promotional activities. Present study found only one hundred and twenty three coaching centers that have a registration number or membership of Bangladesh coaching centers' association. The actual number may be more than that which cannot be identified due to limited scope.
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3.3 General Characteristics
Education coaching emerges from the poor socio-economic condition of our country. In the past, poor school teachers take it as an extra source of income to cope with their necessity. Time has changed the form and shape of this activity. At present it is one of the profitable businesses rather than a survival activity. However, it covers a wide range of activities that include different nature. For example, it is considered as a survival activity for the teacher (low paid) and educated unemployed people in an economic environment where earning opportunities are limited. But at the same time large entrepreneurs try to escape labor regulations and other institutional regulations.
The workforce of education coaching can be categorized into following groups

1. Private tutor: generally, he teaches students in their house. Private tutor can be considered as own account worker who own and operate one person business.
2. Group/ batch coaching's teacher: he teaches students in a group or batch in his house. Sometimes, family members help him.
3. Organized coaching centre: it is an institutionalize shape of coaching. More than one teacher serves here. These coaching centers have owners who employ paid teachers according to their needs. Most of the time, they desire to escape labor regulations.
   However, twenty organized coaching centers have been selected for detailed study to understand their characteristics and nature of growth.
   3.4 Types of Coaching Centers and Their Branches
   Heterogeneity is a common matter that exists among different types of education coaching. In a personalize format, a single