Classes hampered as 61 pry schools in Pabna damaged

The recent earthquakes damaged 61 primary schools in nine upazilas of the district, affecting classes of over 12 thousand children.

"Departmental inquiries, following the earthquakes on April 25 and 26 and May 12, found 61 out of 1124 primary school buildings in the district damaged. Of them, roofs of two buildings collapsed while cracks developed in others," said Md Abdul Salam, district primary education officer.

"Classes of over 12 thousand students are affected due to the situation. We have managed temporary tin-sheds for eight schools while the students of other schools are attending classes either in the damaged buildings or in the school fields," he said.

"Most of the affected buildings were constructed in the 90s but they got damaged within 20 years. The government authorities are yet to allocate fund for repair of the affected schools," he said.

Visiting Hapania Government Primary School in Atghoria upazila on Thursday, this correspondent found over 100 students reading under the open sky in the school ground.

"We are holding classes in the field for the last three weeks as cracks developed in the classrooms," said Md Abdus Salam, headmaster of the school.

Similar condition was found in Raghunathpur Government Primary School in Atghoria upazila.

Fourteen schools in Pabna Sadar upazila, seven schools in Sujanagar upazila, eight in Chatmohar upazila, nine in Santhia upazila, two in Ishwardi upazila, five in Bera upazila, four in Faridpur upazila, eight in Atghoria upazila and four schools in Bhangura upazila under the district were damaged and declared risky, said sources at the District Primary Education Office.