32 schools run with few students
Although Mayda Government Primary School under Amragachhia union in Mirzaganj upazila was established in 1940, the institution is facing serious student crisis.
During a visit to the school on January 12 this correspondent found only three students were present in the school, but the school head teacher Farida Yesmin claimed a total of 30 students are currently studying there while the number was 24 in 2018, 35 in 2017 and 33 each in 2016 and 2015 from Class I to Class V.
Due to troublesome communication most of the students in the area prefer to take admission in other nearby schools, she claimed, adding that there are currently three teachers working there against five posts.
Department of Primary Education (DPE) recently issued a show cause notice to the school asking the school authorities why the number of students is so low.
If the number of students is not increased the school will be unified with another nearby school, says the show cause notice.
Department of Primary Education set up Pochakoralia Government Primary School at Pochakoralia village in Patuakhali Sadar upazila under a project titled 'Establishment of 1500 Primary School in Un-Schooled Areas' spending Tk 14 lakh in 2011-12 fiscal year.
The institution started its activity in 2014 with only 14 students while the number was 28 in 2015, 40 in 2016, 36 in 2017 and 49 in 2018.
While visiting the school on January 10 this correspondent saw only 22 students attending their respective classes though its headmaster Abdul Kuddus claimed that a total of 62 students took admission this year.
As the area is very small and the family members, mostly ultra poor, work in the capital for livelihood there are hardly any children to study in schools, he added.
Meanwhile, Purbo Telikhali Government Primary School, established in 1994 and nationalised in 2013, in the upazila also received the same notice.
Headmaster Rina Parvin said her institution is surrounded by at least five Nurani or Hafejee Madrasas and most of the children in the area take admission there, adding that they have sent a reply of the show cause notice to the authority concerned.
Like Mayda, Pochakoralia and Purbo Telekhali Government Primary Schools a total of 32 primary schools, including 22 in Patuakhali and 10 in Barguna, were served the same show cause notice while a total of 650 schools across the country got the same.
According to Patuakhali Primary Education Office there are 1,225 primary schools in all the upazilas of the district.
Patuakhali District Primary Education Officer (DPEO) Mohammad Shahidul Islam said they forwarded the notices to the schools concerned and upazila level officials on December 28 last year.
“We also asked the upazila level officials to visit the schools physically and submit the report by January 15,” the DPEO said, adding that they received the reports and sent those to the higher authorities for necessary steps.
The rest of the schools are Banikantho Hawlader Government Primary School (GPS) in Kalapara, Purbo Chandukhali GPS, Purbo Jamura GPS in Sadar, Modhya Kachipara GPS in Baufal, Dewli GPS, Purbo Mayda GPS, Janata Jhopkhali GPS, Basonda GPS, Modhya GPS, Mohishkata GPS, Uttar-Poshim Subidkhali GPS, Dakkhin Kakrabunia GPS, Poshim Subidkhali GPS, Modhya Chalitabunia GPS, NW Jhatibunia GPS, Mehendiabad GPS, Dakkhin Amragachhia GPS and Purbo Kafula GPS in Mirzaganj upazila of Patuakhali and Golal Sabur Tulu GPS, Kathaltali Goraghata GPS, Uttar Chhoto Tengra GPS, Poshim Gohorpur GPS, Kalipur Gyanpara Adarsha GPS in Pathorghata, Borojadabpur GPS, Uttar Golghata Najib Yasin GPS in Bamna, Uttar Amtali GPS in Amtali and Dakkhin Karuna GPS and Talgachhia GPS in Betagi upazila of Barguna.
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