Tea workers’ children left with no classroom for months
Students of a high school in Habiganj’s Chunarughat upazila have been taking classes on the premises of a temple for the last eight months.
The school in question is Bangabandhu High School, where mostly the children of indigenous tea garden workers are enrolled.
In September last year, a total of 1,100 workers of Lalchand Tea Garden raised funds with nominal contributions to start the construction of the school.
With the raised money and a donation of Tk 500,000 from a former upazila parishad (UP) chairman, they started the construction but could erect some walls only until December.
“The initiative was taken because the nearest school, Subhe Sadiq High School, is located five kilometre from the tea garden. Children were losing interest to continue studies due to the distance while girls, in particular, were facing harassment from stalkers on their ways to school,” said Sagor Bauri, president of the school managing committee.
“In order to reduce the dropout rates, the workers decided to open the school. The initiative was taken under the banner of Byatikram Cha Chhatra Juba Sangathan, a local welfare organisation,” Bauri told this paper.
But now, a total 130 students -- 82 in Class VI and 48 in Class VII -- are taking classes on the premises of Lalchand Cha Bagan Durga Mondir in the garden area.
Teachers, who give voluntary services, cannot take classes on rainy days or when a programme is being held at the temple premises. The students and teachers use toilets of adjacent houses.
“I cannot focus on my studies. My books were damaged in rain lately,” said Dipu Mudok, a Class VII student of the institution.
“Earlier, I had to walk about 10 kilometres every day to go and return from Subhe Sadiq School. I faced difficulties in communicating with the teachers there as they did not understand my native language. So I changed my school.”
Bristy Mura, a student of Class VI, said, “Our senior sisters were facing harassment from stalkers. So my parents became unwilling to send me to school. But they changed their minds when this new school was set up.
“But now there is no room, no benches. We have to attend classes and even sit for exams in this condition. Writing while sitting on the ground is quite difficult,” she told this correspondent.
Rony Goala, an assistant teacher of the school, said, “Delivering lectures becomes difficult when pujas are performed at the temple.”
Goala, whose parents are also tea garden workers, sought the government’s intervention to carry out the school activities smoothly.
Chunarughat Upazila Education Officer Shamsul Haque said, “I am aware of the school’s sorry state. The district education officer and other high-ups have been informed about it.”
“The workers’ children receive education up to grade V from makeshift schools run by NGOs here. But they become reluctant afterwards,” said Sagor Bauri, adding that, “Bangabandhu School charges Tk 100 per month while Subhe Sadiq charges Tk 160. Monthly fees are as high as Tk 400 in other private schools.”
He said they could expand the school up to class X if Tk 10 lakh could be arranged.
“Local upazila parishad and wealthy locals had been approached for contributions, but no response came from them yet. For now, to build the classrooms, an office room and toilets and to buy benches, we need at least Tk 5 lakh.”
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