<i>Putting children at risk at 'risky' Shishu Academy</i>
Children of Nilphamari Shishu Academy attend classes amid risk at the century-old building that local Public Works Department declared unfit over a decade ago. Inset, rusty rods in the roof of the dilapidated house get exposed as chunks of plaster often fall off.Photo: STAR
Regular activities of Shishu Academy in Nilphamari are run in a 100-year-old dilapidated BD Hall building, posing risk to over 300 children as well as academy staff. After the district Public Works Department (PWD) had declared the building 'risky' more than a decade ago, the local municipality authorities at the suggestion of the district administration 'permanently' closed most of its doors and windows, leaving the building virtually abandoned. But in 2004, the then district administration permitted the academy authorities to use the BD Hall for conducting its official activities as well as different programmes for children. Consequently, the Shishu Academy authorities cleaned the abandoned building and started using it in 2004. Earlier in 1994, Shishu Academy started functioning in a rented portion of district scout building. Shishu Academy usually runs various programmes for physical, mental and cultural development of children, aiming at bringing out their latent talents. The academy sources said that 340 children are now taking part in various programmes like music, recitation, drama, dance, drawing etc. A good number of them are studying at the pre-schooling centre of the academy. Visiting the building on Thursday, this correspondent saw that the academy authorities are using the main hall room, dividing it into three parts. One part is used as office room. Another part is used for programmes on music, recitation, dance, drama, drawing and others. A crowded and unhealthy atmosphere is often seen as this part is also being used as pre-schooling centre. The third part, meant for library, is also used for computer training. Rainwater trickles down from the concrete roof of the building, making the entire building damp. The plaster of most part of the roof has already fallen, exposing the corroded rusty iron structure (rods). There are also cracks and moss on walls. Chunks of concrete very often fall from the roof. "During class hour, particles of sand, cement, rusty rods, plasters or even chunks of concrete often fall off,” Jesmin Akter, a teacher of the pre schooling centre, told this correspondent. Moslema, Ritu, Shantana, Apon and several other children of the pre-schooling centre said they feel panicked while attending classes there. Several solvent guardians have already withdrawn their children from the centre and arranged tutors at home. "We are using the portion of the building which is relatively better. We also remain in panic during work and class hours. We have written to the district administration for allotting government land for constructing new Shishu Academy complex," said district Children's Affair Officer Mostaque Ahmed. The then government in 2007 allocated a fund of Tk 13 crore for constructing a new Shishu Academy complex in the district but the fund was later transferred to another district as the Nilphamari district administration failed to allot any government land for the purpose, said Ahsan Rahim Manzil, a managing committee member of Shishu Academy.
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