It's Friday. Gideri Bilateral High School in Gaibandha Sadar upazila should be quiet, but far from empty, around 160 students from various schools, have gathered to study English and mathematics. Teacher Rakibul Islam Rana from Dakkhin Gideri village is busy leading classes with his laptop. Rana's classes are for remedial students from poor families. His classes are free.

“I was very weak in both English and maths,” says class-four student Mizanur Rahman who attends Purbo Dhutichora Primary School. “Rana sir has really helped me grasp both of these subjects. He teaches so well.”

“My father can't afford all school expenses for me and my two siblings,” says class-five student Rupali Akhter, enrolled at Gideri Primary School. “Rana sir gives lessons for free and helps with school supplies too.”

“As I am a labourer I just can't cover the full cost of schooling for my two children, who study in classes five and eight,” says parent Sohrab Ali from Dhutichora village. “Rana extends all possible support, especially in helping them with the difficult subjects.” During the week, Rana works as an assistant teacher at a girls' high school in Dharmapur of Sundarganj upazila. It's mostly of a weekend that his remedial classes run, with students from classes four, five and eight in attendance. He has a final-year honours student, Salim Mia, to help teach the maths.

“It's a critical learning period, classes five to eight,” Rana explains. “Many children drop out of school in these years, often due to poor marks in English and maths. They can't always master the subjects at school and those from poor backgrounds commonly can't study well at home either. They become gripped with fear when the exams arrive, and their guardians, disappointed by weak results, sometimes send them to do farm or other work after that. I want to support the children through these critical years. That's why I teach voluntarily.”

“Rana is a greatly appreciated teacher,” says local social worker Golam Asik Jadu. “He does an excellent job for poor students. I think all teachers should follow his example.”

“We encourage his classes,” says Gideri Bilateral High School's headmaster, Abu Bakker Siddique. “We give him use of two rooms at our school for these extra classes so he can help our poor students achieve better results.”

“I do feel proud to be doing something for disadvantaged remedial students,” Rana says.

“I'd very much like to involve more teachers in voluntary work.”