<i>Classes stop as clouds gather in sky</i>

Classes are hampered as a storm blew off the roof of the corrugated iron sheet-made house of Jidaha Khas Government Primary School in Kalihati upazila of Tangail district a few weeks ago.Photo: STAR

"Our classes are closed when clouds gather in the sky. There is no roof on the damaged corrugated iron sheet-made house of our school," Aklima, a class five student of Jidaha Khas Government Primary School at Kalai village in Kalihati upazila of Tangail.
"It is hard for us to sit on the classrooms amid scorching heat of the sun as a recent storm blew off the roof of the school," Taslima, another student of class five, said as this correspondent visited the school recently.
Several other students of the school also told about various problems that they have been facing for long.
Jidaha Khas village is one of the small villages set up on the char (newly emerged landmass) areas on the Jamuna riverbed.
The area is vulnerable to erosion by the river that devoured houses of the school, including a brick-built one, for seven times, forcing the authorities to shift the school to newly constructed houses and sheds at different places of the village.
After the Jamuna devoured the whole of Jidaha Khas village two years ago, the school was reconstructed on an agricultural land at adjacent Kalai village through the united efforts of the schoolteachers and locals.
The corrugated iron sheet-made structure of the school surrounded by croplands give a deserted look as there is no tree or shed around it.
A few weeks ago, a storm blew off its roof, making it impossible to conduct classes during rain while on other days, teachers and students attend classes amid scorching heat of the sun.
Currently 260 students are enrolled in the primary school where regular attendance is around 200.
"We cannot provide proper education to the students due to various problems including lack of necessary classrooms and teachers. The roof of the school could not be repaired due to lack of fund. And so, we have to close the classes when there is black clouds in the sky," said Mohammad Ikbal Hossain, a teacher of the primary school.
During the rainy season, the school playground can hardly be used for play as only a little shower gives the ground the look of a water body.
Its level could not be raised due to lack of fund.