Education ministry order violated to hold fair

Like previous years, a trade fair is going to be held on the playground of a Barisal city school, violating a restriction imposed by the education ministry.

Dakkhinanchaliyo Shilpi Parishad, a local cultural organisation, is set to hold the month-long handicraft fair, scheduled to begin at Brojomohun Institution on September 1. The school will remain open during the fair.

Permission from the Ministry of Commerce, and the local chamber of commerce and industry is necessary for holding such a fair.

As a school ground is the venue, approval from the Ministry of Educational is another prerequisite.

Following a report published by The Daily Star on December 28 in 2009, the education ministry issued a circular saying that any fair or show cannot be held at the school without its prior permission.

Al Imran, one of the coordinators of the fair organising committee, said he is unaware of the ministry restriction.

“We have been holding the fair there for the last five years with permission from the school authorities and commerce ministry. The school authorities never informed us about the education ministry restriction.”

Imran said they already paid a fee of Tk 3.8 lakh to the school authorities for using the venue.

Lutfar Rahaman, head teacher of the school, said, “I joined the school in 2013. I did not know about the restriction.”

About the fee, he said the money is used for development of the institution as per the decision of the school management committee.

Mahbub Morshed Shamim, chairman of the management committee, said he took the charge six months ago.

They got permission from the commerce ministry to hold the trade fair, he said.

The fair will not hamper regular academic activities as no loudspeaker will be used, he added.

The students' guardians, however, expressed dismay at commercial use of the school ground. It will distract students, said Pankaj Gupta, one of the guardians.

The fair will definitely hamper education as it will continue for a whole month, he added.

Students assemble and play on the ground before and after school hours, said another guardian wishing not to be named.

Besides, other outdoor games are held there, he said.

It takes several months to renovate the playground after the fair, he said, adding that such an event has been tarnishing the beauty of the campus.

During a visit, this correspondent found almost a six feet wide drain being dug on and around the playground to tackle waterlogging during the fair. Besides, stalls are being installed.

Fair organising committee coordinator Al Imran said there will be at least 80 stalls.

Many students said they face nuisance during the fair as visitors throng the place.

Mokhsedul Islam, deputy director, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education that is under the education ministry, said nobody approached them to seek permission for the fair.

Brojomuhon Institution, which is an MPO-listed school, was established by Mahatma Ashwini Kumar Dutta in 1984. Students from class III to X study there.