Death of a Moulvibazar school
Financial crisis, village politics blamed
The managing committee recently closed Sadhonpur Junior High School, the lone one for learners from ten villages in Hazipur union under Kulaura upazila of Moulvibazar district, as teachers and staff did not get salary for a long time due to fund crisis. The institution was not included in the list of government's monthly payment order for non-government schools. Photo: STAR
Financial crisis and 'village politics' have finally led to closure of Sadhonpur High School in Hazipur union under Kulaura upazila in Moulvibazar district. Following a resolution taken in the meeting of the school managing committee on December 22, committee chairman Aminur Rahman officially announced closure of academic activities of the school. Journalist and social worker Abdul Basit Bachchu took initiative to establish a high school at his locality at Sadhonpur village in 2002. Seven people of the area donated one acre of land for the school that started academic activities in 2005. It provided schooling for students from nearby ten villages -- Nowagaon, Bashuri, Uttar Baroigaon, Sandhyabaz, Miarpara, Harirchak, Uttar Polki, Fulpur, Sadhnpur and Kawkapon. “A dispute appeared among the managing committee members and a few local people over the school issues recently. The school is yet to be included in the list of MPO for government grant for non-government schools. Teachers and staffs of the school have remained deprived of salaries for long. Finding no other way, I closed down functioning of the school through a resolution of the managing committee,” Aminur Rahman told this correspondent over mobile phone on Monday. “Chairman of the school managing committee in December 22 meeting had urged committee members and local solvent persons to donate money to the school fund so that teachers and staffs can get their current and arrear salaries. But no one attending the meeting responded positively. Rather a few of them suggested closure of its academic activities due to different problems including village politics,” said Md Jahangir Hussain, headmaster of the school. “There were about 150 students in the school as of last day. Now I will issue transfer certificate [TC)] to the students so that they can get admission to other schools for next sessions,” he said. “Now I will face trouble as I have to get admission to another school five kilometres away from home,” said Md Nazrul Islam, a student of class eight of the school. Expressing sorrow over closure of the school, several guardians have urged the government to extend support to restart the school soon. “I have been informed about closure of Sadhonpur High School. I will investigate the matter and take necessary step within my capacity,” said Ratan Kumar Saha, Kulaura upazila secondary education officer.
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