Classrooms or godowns!

Academic activities at Gar Dharmapal Government Primary School in Jaldhaka upazila have been seriously hampered for the last two months as the school authorities have been using all the classrooms as 'godowns' to store bricks, corrugated iron sheets and rods.

The construction materials have been kept there for building a concrete academic building and due to this, students have been attending classes in the school veranda amid odd situation.

Students and guardians said the authorities concerned have been using the classrooms as godowns as they do not want to spend money for a makeshift shed to store construction materials and a guard to look after them as well.

Headmaster Mosharaf Hossain said a two storied academic building is being built under primary education development programme-3 replacing old, semi pucca and tin shed part of the school which was demolished by upazila engineering department two months ago.

The school's brick built portion with concrete roof on other side with four classrooms remain intact as before for running academic activities, he said.

“We have stored old materials of demolished infrastructure in classrooms on temporary basis to protect them from being stolen as those would be sold in auction very soon,” he added.

The headmaster further added they temporarily arranged classes on school veranda and assured that classrooms would be used for study as before after the auction.

However, school authority's controversial decision triggered bitter criticism among locals.

Md Liton, a Class V student, said “While attending classes on veranda, dust carried by wind from construction site covers us which sometimes enter our eyes and cause itching.”

District Primary Education Officer Osman Gani said “Classrooms in no way can be used as godowns. I've directed Jaldhaka upazila education officer to take action against the school authority and vacate the classrooms within one or two days.”