Amid risk students attend classes at erosion-hit school
Over 200 students are attending classes at the erosion-damaged Dighulia Poshchimpara Government Primary School in Faridpur upazila, which could be devoured by the Boral river anytime.
River erosion has been damaging the school, which was established on the bank of Boral in 1989 in Faridpur upazila, for the last three months.
As the authorities concerned do not get any other suitable place to relocate the school, the students have to take lessons at the damaged building.
Nayan Moni, acting headmaster of the school, said, “Entire verandah of the school was devoured by the river, and soil beneath the building is being eroded, exposing the building to collapse. A portion of a classroom has already gone into the river, while cracks have developed everywhere on the building."
Risking their lives, the students are attending classes at three classrooms, but they cannot shift the school to any other place in the village due to unavailability of appropriate place, he said.
"Although the building is being damaged, we have to take lessons there. We are worried that the building may collapse anytime," said Suborna Khatun, a class-V student of the school.
She said they asked their teachers to repair the school or shift the school for the sake of their safety.
Sultan Mahamud, Faridpur upazila assistant primary education officer, said there is nothing to do for the school immediately due to lack of funds.
"We have submitted a report on the damaged schools to the higher authorities. The repair work will start after getting funds," he said.
The risky school should be relocated to another place in the village for a temporary period, Sultan added.
Talking to The Daily Star on Tuesday, Humayun Kabir, president of the school managing committee, said they are looking for a suitable place for the school, but they have not yet found such a place.
"We are trying to shift the school, but we are unable to do it for not getting any suitable place in the village," he said, adding that the students are compelled to attend classes at the affected building as there is no other primary school within one kilometre.
Abdus Salam, district primary education officer, said under such circumstance, it is the responsibility of the school managing committee to take necessary steps to relocate the risky school elsewhere.
“As the school building becomes risky, the school managing committee should take the initiative to shift the school to a safer place, considering that the students do not face any problem," he said.
Asked about repairing the building, Salam said they have no funds for mending it.
“We have already sent a list of the affected schools of the district to the primary education ministry. We still did not get any funds from the ministry. So, we cannot start the repair work at the affected schools," the education officer added.
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