Classes of primary kids hampered as school buildings risky

Students at Uttar Chandipur Government Primary School under Indurkani upazila of the district are afraid to attend classes as the schoolhouse has become dilapidated and risky.

Tamanna, a student of Class IV, said, “It seems that concrete from the ceiling will fall at any time,” adding that she and the other students cannot concentrate on their studies because of the fear.

Like Tamanna, other students of the school are anxious too.

“As students of three classes sit together, it hampers our studies,” said Meem, a student of Class III, adding that the parents also feel anxious when the children are at school.

Headmaster Sohrab Hossain said they sometimes take classes in the corridor due to fear of accidents.

The school building, which was built in 1995, began to break down around four years ago. Iron bars are protruding from the columns and plaster falls from the ceiling.

“As there is no alternative place, we take classes in the risky building,” said Md Fakhrul Alam, headmaster of Maddhya Kalaron Government Primary School, which was constructed in 1995.

The authorities of Ramchandrapur Government Primary School abandoned the building around three years ago, though it was built only 16 years ago. Classes are held in a temporary shed erected in the school playground.

Recently, five students of Uttar Gaokhali Government Primary School under Nazirpur upazila of the district were injured when concrete from the ceiling fell on them. The school was built in 1994.

The school buildings, most of which are built by the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED, start breaking down within 15 years of construction.

This correspondent could not talk to the Executive Engineer of LGED in Pirojpur Md Rafiqul Hassan as he did not receive the calls.

According to the department of Primary Education (DPE), there are around 150 decrepit and risky primary schools in seven upazilas of the district.