School ground under water for over four months

The playground of a primary school in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenidah has become a breeding ground of mosquitoes and insects as rainwater has been stagnant there for about three months now.

Every year, the playground of Baruria Government Primary School covering 46 decimals of land goes under water during monsoon.

Locals fear that appalling condition might continue for two more months.

Activities of the school has come almost to a halt as guardians have stopped sending their children there.

Children complained that they could no longer use the playground for playing or holding assemblies.

Abir Rahman, a fifth grader, said, “We cannot play or move on the field. The air quality has become very bad; the classrooms have become damp.”

Abir’s father Mansur Ali said, “The children need to wade through knee-deep water to reach classrooms. This leaves them at the risk of skin diseases. Some have already caught scabies.”

Moslem Uddin, whose daughter is in class III, said, “The environment both inside and outside the school have become polluted. We are in panic as the school area has become a home to insects and snakes.”

A total of 109 students are enrolled in the school, which was established in 1978.

The school management committee has been turning a blind eye to the situation, said locals.

Authorities should dump sands to heighten the playground, suggested guardians and teachers.

Headmaster of the school, Jahurul Islam, said the school management committee had not taken any step despite repeated calls.

To this, President of committee Shamsuddin Joarder said that earth filling could solve the problem but the initiative needed to come from the government’s side first.

 “The government has not yet made any allotment for filling up this playground. Such allotments for schools are made under the ‘test relief’ programme,” said Shailkupa Upazila Primary Education officer Mohammad Sirazul Islam.

He added that he would look into the matter and call on the school management committee to submit a written application to the union parishad chairman and the local lawmaker.