448 schools run without headmaster

Primary education in the district is being greatly hampered due to acute crisis of teachers.

District Primary Education Officer (DPEO) Hosne Yasmin Karimi said there are 1,150 primary schools in eight upazilas, of which 548 are recently nationalised and 602 were nationalised earlier.

Four hundred forty-eight schools are running without any headmaster, while 493 out of 5,482 assistant teacher's posts are lying vacant in the district, she said.

Over 300 students at Char Wadel Government Primary School in Baufal upazila are facing acute crisis as there are only three teachers, out of seven.

Of the three, Al Mamun is working at Char Baret Government Primary School on deputation. Jobaida Begum is receiving her salaries regularly without attending school, locals alleged. She joined the school in 2012 but has not come to the school since then, they added. The other teacher, Md Manik Hossain is also working as the acting headmaster.

Manik also works in the model test exam centre for the students of Class V from nearby schools.

"I have been running the school from Saturday as Manik is engaged in the model test exam centre," said Md Hemayet Uddin, peon cum night-guard of the school.

Jobaida, however, could not be reached as her cellphone was switched off.

Only two teachers are working at Auliapur Hat Government Primary School while three posts, including the headmaster, have been lying vacant for a long time.

"Often, only one teacher has to manage the school when a teacher is deputed to work in the upazila or district office," assistant teacher Mariam Begum said.

 Hosne Yasmin said the process of appointing teachers for primary schools is going on, and the problem will be solved when new teachers are appointed.