Schoolhouse unused, 5 years into construction
All that you could dream of in a primary school – a one-storied building, benches, chairs, tables, separate toilets for girls and boys, tube-well for safe drinking water – all lie idle. Not a single child in sight.
It has been five years since construction of the government primary school by Local Government Engineering Department in 2013 at Kolatala village in Barguna Sadar upazila at a cost of Tk 14 lakh.
Md Mizanur Rahman, a resident of the village, donated 30 decimals of land in 2011 to set up the primary school, as there was no school nearby.
“We contacted the primary education officers at both the upazila and district levels to start the school, but in vain. Authorities should take immediate steps to start its activities,” he said.
Looking back, he said, “We heard that the government had taken up a programme to set up primary schools in 'un-schooled areas' across the country. As per the suggestion of the local education office, we donated the land for the school.”
“We were so happy when the schoolhouse was built. If only it was used for the purpose intended.”
Children of the village undertake a hike of four to five kilometres to attend classes in the nearest school, said locals.
Md Lutfor Rahman, Barguna Sadar upazila primary officer, said the school building was built under a special project taken by the Primary and Mass Education Ministry titled 'Establishment of 1,500 Primary Schools in Un-Schooled Areas'.
“I joined here recently and am working to start the school from January,” he said.
Md Mizanur Rahman, Barguna district primary education officer, who also joined there recently, said he was unaware about the matter.
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