Schooling suffers in ex-enclaves of Patgram
Ten primary schools founded by the inhabitants of former enclave areas in Lalmonirhat’s Patgram upazila are yet to get government funding for teachers’ salary and stipend and school feeding programme for around 1600 students, much to the frustration of the stakeholders.
Bangladesh-India enclave exchange deal was signed on July 31 in 2015, much to the relief of the inhabitants of dozens of adversely possessed lands near the border.
There are 59 former enclaves in Lalmonirhat, of them 55 are in Patgram, and two each in Hatibandha and Sadar upazila.
After the exchange, people of the former enclaves in Patgram at their own initiative built 10 primary schools, said Nazrul Islam, 58, a leader of the former enclave people.
“But as the government is yet to provide funds for the schools, the teachers, students and their guardians are losing interest about the schooling in the backward area. The authorities are spending much for roads, bridges, healthcare centres, mosques, temples, graveyards, crematoriums, playgrounds, community centres and electricity but there is very little work for education,” he said.
“We are not getting government’s stipend. We feel hungry at school as no meal is provided,” said Rasel Islam, a Class V student of Banshkata Primary School in Patgram upazila.
“Sometimes our teachers give us biscuits and sweetmeats but it is not regular,” said Sheuly Akhter, a student of Class IV at the same school.
Belal Hossain, 26, a teacher of the school at former enclave Banshkata, said he and other teachers have been teaching there without any salary since 2015.
“We demand that the government takes early steps for financing the primary schools in former enclave areas,” said Dibbo Nath Roy, 28, headmaster of the school.
Rezaul Karim, 55, an inhabitant of Banshkata, said, “We are frustrated as the government is yet to take fruitful step for spreading the light of education in former enclaves.”
Asked about the ten primary schools in former enclaves in Patgram, Golam Nabi, district primary education officer in Lalmonirhat, said, “Letters have been sent to the authorities concerned, seeking government funding for the schools. Hopefully steps will be taken in this regard during this current fiscal year.”
Comments