Dilapidated schoolhouse poses risk to kids
Students of Mahinanda Government Primary School in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila receive lessons on the veranda as their classrooms appear too risky for the purpose. Photo: STAR
Most of the students of century-old Mahinanda Government Primary School in Kishoreganj Sadar upazila attend classes under the open sky as the faulty schoolhouse has turned too risky for use. Class five students, however, still receive their lessons on the veranda of the dilapidated building as the students, preparing for primary terminal examinations, seriously need blackboard and other classroom materials, said teachers of the school. Established in 1904, the one-shift school has now seven teachers who conduct classes for 89 students in class one, 85 in class two, 62 in class three, 70 in class four and 27 in class five. Besides, 20 kids are enrolled in class 'junior one' (pre-primary stage) under the school. Two new buildings were constructed for the school in 1996 and 2002 but several cracks have already developed in the roof of the four-room building made in 2002 due to its faulty construction. Local LGED engineers, who visited the school recently, announced the building as abandoned. Condition of the other building comprising two rooms is no good as plaster fell of at places and the exposed rods have rusted, said a few teachers and guardians. Fouzia Akter, a class five student of the school, said they remain in panic while attending classes on the school veranda as sometimes lumps of plaster fall off. "If the authorities concerned do not take immediate steps to reconstruct the school building we will have to shift our kids elsewhere," said Md Anisuzzaman, a guardian. “In view of the safety of students and teachers, we have arranged lessons for students up to classes four under the open sky but class five students still attend classes on the school veranda amid risk as blackboard is very much needed for them. I informed the chairman of school managing committee and the district education officer about the matter," said Kamal Hossain Sarker, headmaster of the school. When contacted, District Primary Education Officer Md Golam Moula said, "Engineers of local LGED office recently announced a building of the school abandoned and a priority proposal letter has been sent to the higher authority concerned. We hope the building construction work will start soon."
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