occasions, due to a conscious choice not to avail of the national curriculum.95 These alternative streams cover distance learning, non-formal education, adult education, and program run by the Open University. Distance Learning Streams: Streams: Bangladesh Open University (BOU) is the only public university in Bangladesh to use distance education as a method of delivery. BOU is mandated to "promote through multimedia; instruction of every standard and knowledge.96 The challenge of meeting the educational needs of mass people faced by Bangladesh was met by the School Broadcasting Pilot Project launched in 1978. The project was transformed into National Institute of Educational Media and Technology (NIEMT) in 1983, later replaced by the Bangladesh Institute of Distance Education (BIDE) in 1985. The success of BIDE encouraged policymakers to take up a major plan for establishing an Open University.97 Bangladesh Open University (BOU) offers both Formal and Non-formal programs through six different schools. Formal programmes are academic programmes that result in the awarding of an academic qualification up to a Master's degree upon completion and examination. As low rate of literacy remains an issue in Bangladesh, non-formal programmes are conducted by the BOU to create awareness and impart knowledge about health, environment, disaster management, basic science, agriculture, food, nutrition and other branches of knowledge for human development.98 The recent use of modern media technology opened wide the doors of lifelong education. The number is more than the total number of students of all other universities of Bangladesh. 99 The extent of the demands and need for expanding distance education in 95 The madrasa board is part of the national Education board, and the certificates awarded by the madrasa board are equivalent to the SSC and HSC certificates awarded by the district education boards. The madrasa students also sit for the PSD and JSC examinations. sec.5, Bangladesh Open University Act, 1982 Bangladesh Open University, <http://www.bou.edu.bd/ > accessed 29 May 2014 Wikipedia, Bangladesh Open University, < en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangladesh_Open_University> accessed 29 May 2014 Aminul Islam, ‘Distance learning’, (Banglapedia) < http://www.banglapedia.org/HT/D_0303.htm> accessed 1 June 2014 96 97 98 99 Page | 33