New school building after 65yrs
The two-storey school building with modern facilities in Patuakhali Sadar upazila was constructed at a cost of Tk 1 crore
Students of a 65-year-old school made of corrugated tin sheet, which was vulnerable to collapse anytime, have recently got a new building, thanks to the initiative of Muslim Aid, a UK-based donor organisation.
The two-storey school building with modern facilities was constructed at a cost of Tk 1 crore, said Haripado Bhuiyan, acting headteacher of Kuripaika High School at Kuripaika village in Sadar upazila.
Established in 1955, Kuripaika High School has now 412 students, said Haripado, adding that it is the only one high school in the village.
Teachers and students had been attending classes in the shabby schoolhouse made of tin amid risk of accident for long, he said.
Jannatun Ferdous, a ninth grader at the school, said attending classes in the dilapidated schoolhouse was a nightmare as both students and teachers could not keep their eyes off the ceilings of the classrooms, worrying about possible fatalities due to the rusted tin roofs.
Rainwater entered the classrooms through multiple leakage of the tin roof and they and their books got wet, she said, adding that the new school building is now a great relief for them.
It was very tough to attend classes in the tin-shed schoolhouse during unbearable heat, said Sameer Pine, a Class VIII student of the school.
They informed the authorities concerned about the matter several times but it did not work, said headteacher Haripado.
In June 2016, Muslim Aid demolished the shabby schoolhouse to pave way for a new building there, he said, adding that construction of the two-storey building was completed two months ago.
During the period, the teachers and students attended their classes in a makeshift house near the school compound, situated on one acre of land, said Haripado.
Rabia Sultana, country director of Muslim Aid Bangladesh, on Tuesday inaugurated the new school building, he said, adding that they are now attending classes in the building.
On behalf of Muslim Aid Bangladesh, the new two-storey building was a gift for the teachers and students of the school in the "Mujib Borsho", said Rabia Sultana.