Sluice gates not working
Bhabodaha in Paira union of Jessore's Abhaynagar upazila is famous for its 21 sluice gates. The water from the lowlands and beels of four upazilas drains through the area. But for years several of the sluice gates have not been in working order, leading to channels silting up and an excess of stagnant water, a manmade deluge that has effectively closed over 200 schools.
In five upazilas, many schools are submerged due to the failure to discharge water from the Muktershari, Teka, Bhadra, Shree and Hori rivers, with 167 primary schools, 32 high schools and 16 colleges directly affected.
In many of these institutions only a few teachers can manage to reach the campus to sign the attendance book, without any possibility to take classes.
“I want to teach my students,” says Shilpi Rani Paul, a teacher of Sundali Girls' High School in Abhaynagar upazila. “But every day the situation is deteriorating; water continues to rise.” It's a situation that has remained unchanged since the heavy rains of August 21, 2016.
“Students have not been able to attend class for more than a month,” Shilpi continues. “From the disruption, longer term impact upon the studies of the region's students is inevitable.” She hopes the government can take pragmatic steps to solve the problem soon.
“Our locality has a long history of quality education,” says Shusama Biswas, assistant teacher of nearby Saradanga Jamtala Government Primary School. “But the long-term water logging has damaged properties and consequently, education.”
Jessore's district primary education officer Taposh Kumar Adhikery acknowledges the problem. “Since Eid-ul-Fitr, we have been asking guardians to guide the students at home,” he says. “We hope to run extra, make-up classes when these schools can again operate in full swing. Of course, due to the health risks and sanitation problems caused by the stagnant water, it cannot yet occur.”
The deputy director of primary education in Khulna Division AKM Golam Mostafa says he hopes that extra classes can be held for the students of waterlogged upazilas whose school schedules have been significantly disrupted.
It's not only staff members who are frustrated by the school closure but also students. “I don't have any good way to study at home,” says class-V student Ashis Biswas, “but I can't go to school because the route is underwater.”
“I have long dreamt to secure a brilliant result in the Higher School Certificate,” says intermediate level student Subarna Mondal of ST School and College in Sundoli union of Jessore's Abhaynagar upazila. “Now I am anxious that I won't achieve my goal since the progress of my studies is absolutely hindered by this disaster.”
According to TM Zakir Hossain, the director in charge of higher education in the Khulna region, 50-70 percent of educational institutions have been affected.
“We have asked local authorities to scrutinise the overall situation for education institutions in the three worst affected upazilas -- Abhaynagar, Monirampur and Keshobpur,” he says.
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