Classes hampered as storm damages school in Bhaluka

Students of Medila Adarsha High School in Bhaluka upazila of the district cannot attend classes as the tin-roofed school was badly damaged by a falling tree during a nor'wester on Wednesday night.

The school was established in 1986, and the teachers came under Monthly Payment Order (MPO) in 1994, but it has not received any government assistance for infrastructure development so far, school sources said.

The school has been running with the financial contributions of local people and school teachers.

There are around 350 students in the school and seven classrooms. The storm damaged four classrooms, creating much inconvenience for students and teachers, said Md Khairul Bashar, headmaster of the school.

"We informed the upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Bhaluka about the damage to the school, but no financial help has yet been allocated. We have also sought financial help from the government on various other occasions, but to no avail," the headmaster said.

Around Tk 2 lakh is needed to repair the damaged section, the headmaster added.

Monirul Haque Faruq Reza, project implementation officer (PIO) of Bhaluka, visited the school on Monday afternoon to assess the damage, school sources said.

Janom Mistri, president of the school's managing committee, said the students are facing problems in continuing their classes in such a situation.

Ali Asgar Emon, first boy of Class X, said, "Our trial examinations will start in October and now is the time to complete the syllabus. But we cannot attend classes due to the shortage of classrooms."

 Sadia Afreen and Saila Akhatr of the same class said "It will be difficult for us to attend classes under the open sky during the coming rainy season."

Contacted, Kamrul Ahsan Talukder, UNO of Bhaluka, said, "I asked the PIO to visit the spot and submit a report on the damage. Necessary financial help will be allocated in the monthly meeting of the upazila administration for immediate repair of the school."