When children are often forced to memorize more than they’re inspired to create, The Tech School dared to challenge the status quo. Founded in 2013 by two university students in Bangladesh—Shams Jaber and Neloy Anik—this bold educational venture aimed to redefine how kids learn by immersing them in the world of robotics, electronics, and coding from an early age. What started as a grassroots experiment quickly gained attention for its radical approach and extraordinary results, turning curious kids into confident creators.
But just as quickly as it rose, The Tech School fell—its journey cut short not by lack of vision, but by internal conflict. This is the story of how a revolutionary school was built with passion, powered by purpose, and ultimately undone by human fragility. It’s a story filled with innovation, lessons, and warnings for anyone dreaming of disrupting the way we teach and learn.
Table of Contents
Part 1: Planting the Seeds — The Making of The Tech School
From University Halls to Street Schools
While still students at BRAC University, Shams and Neloy grew increasingly frustrated by the disconnect between education and purpose. They believed education should ignite creativity, not extinguish it. In a radical move, Shams took a semester off and, along with Neloy, began teaching street children the basics of technology.
With zero funding and full hearts, they set out to redefine what a school could be.
First Failures and Phoenix Moments
Their initial attempts at running a tech school for underprivileged kids failed due to financial constraints. But instead of giving up, they pivoted. They narrowed their focus to robotics and engineering education, branding their new attempt as WNES Robotics School, which soon evolved into what became known as The Tech School.
This time, they didn’t just teach—they transformed.
Part 2: Structure, Struggle, and Support
A Community-Backed Ecosystem
The Tech School was not built in isolation. It became a collaborative venture between:
- WNES (World’s Next Education System)
- CAFFE (Computers Are Free For Everyone)
- Cubic Art School
The teachers came from various disciplines, armed with over a decade of experience. They weren’t just educators—they were co-dreamers.
Financial Fragility and Philanthropic Support
Funding was always a hurdle. Initially bootstrapped by the founders’ personal savings, the venture nearly died multiple times. Hope came in the form of mentors and board members like Luke Doyle and Mr. & Mrs. Mujahidul Hassan Rana, who provided strategic and logistical support.
To sustain operations, TTS functioned as both a school and a tech firm—offering engineering solutions to outside clients while nurturing the talents of its young learners.
Part 3: The Tech School in Action — Learning Beyond the Classroom
What Made The Tech School Special?
The Tech School stood out because it refused to play by the rules. Instead of textbooks and timed exams, children got circuits, sensors, coding boards, and real-life problem-solving scenarios. They weren’t preparing for grades; they were preparing for a future in which innovation mattered more than memorization.
It was a community of young dreamers supported by passionate mentors. Shams and Neloy, with no formal training in school administration, ran the show on passion, patience, and persistence. They learned everything on the go—product-market fit, teaching pedagogy, curriculum design—all while dodging financial instability and social pressure.
“Set Your Imagination Free”
Located in Niketan, The Tech School offered robotics, electronics, and programming lessons to kids aged 8-16. Its teaching philosophy was simple: learn by doing. Forget textbooks—here, students explored theories by building real-world prototypes.
From breadboards to Arduino, from programming logic to mechanical automation—children weren’t just absorbing knowledge, they were creating it.
Beyond Dhaka: Outreach to Underserved Areas
TTS also extended its reach to Bandarban, Fatikchari, and Mymensingh, teaching underprivileged children the same high-tech skills. It was more than a school—it was a movement.
Part 4: The Wonder Kids and Their Big Dreams
Abrar and Safwan: Tech’s Young Trailblazers
The school gained national attention when two of its students, Abrar Jawad (age 9) and Safwan Rahman (age 11), wowed audiences at a TEDxDhaka event. Casually tossing around terms like “Java” and “Raspberry Pi,” they showed not just understanding, but mastery.
They even built a gadget—The Batman Device—which used ultrasonic sensors to detect obstacles. Originally a toy, the boys aimed to turn it into a device for the visually impaired.
These kids weren’t just students—they were visionaries in the making.
Part 5: Growth and Glory
National Recognition
Students from The Tech School competed against university students in national robotics competitions and even contributed to commercial engineering projects like:
- Automated violins for Bengal Foundation
- A GPS tracker for logistics firms
- A solar-wind hybrid car project with artist Anusheh Anadil
The impact was undeniable. TTS was grooming tomorrow’s inventors—today.
Part 6: The Challenges Beneath the Surface
Parental Resistance and Societal Norms
Despite the achievements, the school struggled to convince parents. Some pulled their children out before they could see results, seeking instant returns rather than long-term development. The founders fought to shift mindsets, urging society to value curiosity over credentials.
Many parents struggled to see the value of a robotics school. They preferred tried-and-true paths—medical, engineering, government jobs—not “tinkering” with gadgets. Convincing them that their kids could become the next Elon Musk, not just tech hobbyists, was a daily battle.
Unrealistic Expectations
As the school gained popularity, expectations soared. Parents wanted their children to become tech geniuses overnight, forgetting that innovation takes time. Managing these expectations became a new form of stress.
Sustaining the Dream
Though they gained support, maintaining financial and human resources was a constant challenge. And as the team grew, so did the complexity of leadership and collaboration.
Part 6: The Fall- When Vision Meets Reality
Then came the fall—swift and sobering.
On September 25, 2015, The Tech School posted a somber update on their Facebook page:
“The Tech School has disintegrated… Directors will continue their work separately.”
The announcement shocked many. A promising venture that once showed the future of education had abruptly shut down. Behind the scenes, there was reportedly an unresolved dispute among the founders, leading to the venture’s premature death.
No financial crisis. No market failure. Just human conflict.
A startup that had no competitors in its space, that had touched lives and inspired a community, was gone in just under three years.
The Legacy: Lessons From a Bold Experiment
The Tech School may be gone, but its legacy lives on.
It proved that kids can dream in code and build robots if only they are given the chance. It proved that passion can create institutions, that age doesn’t limit innovation, and that the education system desperately needs reformers.
But it also taught hard truths: vision alone isn’t enough. Building an institution requires structure, management, conflict resolution, and resilience. Ideas spark change, but execution sustains it.
Shams and Neloy may have gone their separate ways, but their work continues—each still mentoring kids, still spreading the idea that education must serve curiosity, not crush it.
Conclusion: What The Tech School Teaches Us Today
The story of The Tech School is not just about its creation or collapse—it’s about daring to try. It’s about asking “what if” in a world that too often says “no.”
In many ways, it’s a story still being written—in every young innovator who starts early, every parent who says yes to creativity, and every educator brave enough to think beyond the blackboard.
The Tech School showed us a glimpse of what education could be: joyful, hands-on, and deeply meaningful. And while it may have disintegrated as an organization, its ideas still pulse through the tech dreams of kids across Bangladesh.
Because once you show a child that they can build something great—the spark doesn’t die. Not even when the school does.
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