Floods damage 788 edn institutions in Tangail

The recent prolonged flood and river erosion have caused extensive damage to over 700 educational institutions in Tangail.

According to sources at the department concerned, total 788 schools, madrasas and colleges have been destroyed. Especially the buildings, playgrounds and furniture of the institutions have been damaged. The total damage has been estimated at Tk 13.41 crore.

Total 566 primary schools in 10 upazilas out of 12 upazilas were destroyed by floodwater and the total damage has been estimated at Tk 8.39 crore, said sources at the district primary education office.

On the other hand, the flood has damaged 142 high schools and the damages has been estimated at Tk 2. 47 crore. Total 68 madrasas got damaged and the damage has been estimated Tk 1.47 crore. Twelve colleges have been destroyed and the damage has been estimated at Tk 34 lakh, sources at the education engineering department said.

The floods have damaged 100 primary schools, 20 high schools and three colleges in Tangail Sadar upazila and 81 primary schools, two high schools and two madrasas in Delduar; 73 primary schools, six high schools and four madrasas in Kalihati; 39 primary schools, 18 high schools, two colleges and seven madrasas in Nagarpur; seven primary schools, three high schools, one college and one madrasa in Sakhipur;  86 primary schools, 31 high schools and five madrasas in Mirzapur; 61 primary schools, 15 high schools, one college and 14 madrasas in Bhuapur; 43 primary schools, 10 high schools and six madrasas in Ghatail; 56 primary schools, 16 high schools, two colleges and five madrasas in Gopalpur; and 20 primary schools, 21 high schools, three colleges and 11 madrasas in Basail upazila. 

Meanwhile, two primary schools--Govindapur Government Primary School and Paishka Maijhail Government Primary School-- in Solimabad union of Nagarpur upazila have been fully devoured by erosion of the Jamuna river.

The upazila administration, however, constructed a temporary tin-roof structure for the Govindapur Government Primary School at a nearby place. New building will be constructed for the school after selection of a new site for it, district primary education office sources said.

The district primary education office has already sent a letter to the primary education directorate seeking allocation for reconstructing the Paishka Maijhail Government Primary School.

Local people said acute erosion started in the area last year and Paishka Maijhail Government faced erosion threat at that time. The deputy minister of water resources ministry along with local lawmaker visited the erosion affected area then and promised to take steps to check the erosion.  However, nothing was done in this regard later and the school went into the river on June 14.

Meanwhile, nine more government primary schools in Bhuapur upazila and two others in Kalihati upazila are now under threat of erosion. 

Md Abdul Azaiz, district primary education officer in Tangail, said they have already conducted an assessment of the primary schools damaged by floods and sent the report to the higher authorities. The repairing works of the damaged institutions will start after getting the allocation.  

On the other hand, Laila Khanom, district secondary education officer in Tangail, said they have already sent a report of the flood-damaged educational institutions in the district to the Education Engineering Department in Dhaka. The repair work will start after getting allocation.