Two tireless retirees brave it
They still run the school in their locality that has no teacher, staff
L-R: Punja Shikder, the honorary acting headmaster, also does the work of bell ringer, while a local girl teaches there on voluntary basis as Dadrokhi Registered Non-government Primary School in Balla union under Harirampur upazila of Manikganj district has remained without any regular teacher or staff for the last three years. These playful kids, attending Dadrokhi Registered Non-government Primary School, are deprived of regular classes as authorities failed to fill up the vacant posts of teachers and staff during the last several years.Photo: STAR
Study of over 200 students is badly hampered as Dadrokhi Non-government Primary School in Balla union under Harirampur upazila of Manikganj district has been running without any regular teacher or staff for three years. Their schooling, however, has so far been saved as two retired teachers are giving voluntary service to teach the students as well as manage other works of the institution, the lone one in the village. Apart from taking classes, they do the work of office assistant, bell ringer, and even cleaner. Authorities did not fill the vacancies after headmaster Md Punja Shikdar and teachers Porimal Kumer Roy, Ramesh Chandra Rakkhit and Hazrat Ali went on LPR between 2007 and 2009. "Once the committee was responsible for recruitment of teachers and staff, but now it is under the government authorities as per the new rule," said Md Nazrul Islam Swapan, president of the school managing committee. "Following our request, Punja Shikdar took the charge of acting headmaster and Porimal Kumer assistant teacher. For the last two months, Labanya Akter, an HSC passed girl of the village, has also been voluntarily teaching at the school," he said. "My daughter Saima Islam Bithi reads in Class V and her roll No is 1. My son Sraban Ahmed reads in Class 1. I am worried about their education as there are many problems including crisis of teachers," Abul Bashar, a local resident, said during this correspondent's visit to the school on September 20. Class V students Jiban Nahar Lipi and Mim Akter said they get only two or three classes a day as there are no regular teachers for long. Established in 1975, the school was registered in 1978. There are only four tin-shed rooms and classes are held in two shifts to manage accommodation. Besides want of teachers, the school is beset with many problems including shortage of chairs, tables and benches, lack of electricity and toilet, said Md Mokbul Hossain, vice president of the school managing committee and member of ward No 6 of Balla union parishad. In 2010, the Upazila Education Office allocated Tk 30,000 for maintenance works of the school but the school authority is yet to receive the amount. Contacted, District Primary Education Officer Shahin Ara Begum said, "I am aware of the problems of the school, especially crisis of teachers. But we cannot solve it as the government is directly in charge of teachers' recruitment.” Earlier on May 20 this year, The Daily Star on its front page published a story titled 'One staff school', describing the pitiable condition of Kazikola Non-government Primary School in Manikganj Sadar upazila, where acting headmaster Shamima Khatun does all the works including conducting of classes to keep the school running.
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