Abandoned, but still in use

At least 141 school buildings out of 1,162 primary schools in Bagerhat’s nine upazilas are risky, says the district primary education office. 

Teachers and guardians fear that accident might take place anytime there. 

Teachers alleged that the matter was communicated to the district education office, but it was yet to take any steps. 

Several of the buildings have been declared abandoned. Finding no other alternatives, teachers continue to teach students in the buildings.

Many schools are holding classes in tin-roofed structures with bamboo fences on the school playgrounds, considering children’s safety.

Of the 141 school buildings, 24 are in Sadar upazila, 24 in Morrelganj upazila, 21 in Fakirhat upazila, 21 in Mollahat upazila, 19 in Kachua upazila, 15 in Chitalmari upazila, 13 in Sharankhola upazila, three in Mongla upazila and one in Rampal upazila.

Shankar Shikder, headmaster of Patilakhali Government Primary School in Sadar upazila, said the school building was declared abandoned four years ago, but there were no initiatives from the district primary education office to build a new building. 

He added that they built a tin-roofed structure on the school ground and were teaching students somehow. Many students were not attending classes in fear of building collapse. As a result, student attendance was declining.

During a recent visit to Chitli Government Girls’ Primary School in the same upazila, this correspondent found that the school building was in a dilapidated condition.

Teachers said there had been many cases of plasters falling off the ceiling. Parents did not want to send their children to the school after seeing the building condition. The rich guardians enrolled their children in private schools or other ones.

They said a tin-roofed structure had been erected to teach students. But now it would be impossible to teach them there because of scorching heat and as storm may strike anytime.

They said the authorities were informed about the school condition, but they had not yet taken any steps in this regard.

A guardian of a student at Matibhanga Government Primary School said they were always in fear of plasters of the building falling on their children. He sought the prime minister’s intervention in constructing a new building there urgently.

The school buildings of Rupchand and Fatayjan government primary schools in Morrelganj upazila are in a similar state.

Contacted, Kabir Uddin, district primary education officer, said schools were being provided with alternative structures through local management where the main buildings were at risk.

He added that they would soon take steps to build new buildings.