Rejoinder & Our Reply
Headmasters of two government primary schools of Narail district have sent separate rejoinders to The Daily Star report headlined 'Primary schools collecting admission fees illegally' that was published on January 7.
In both the rejoinders, sent over a month after publication of the report, headmasters of Bhawakhali Government Primary School and Shib Shankar Government Primary School, Abul Bashar and Shamima Yesmin respectively, refuted the allegations of taking admission fees and termed The Daily Star report not factual.
Abul Bashar acknowledged receiving Tk 5 only from each of the guardians as 'generous contribution' for an unofficially engaged aya (female assistant) who takes care of the children of play group of the school.
Our Reply
Although there is no provision of taking any fee for admission to any government and non-government registered primary schools, The Daily Star correspondent found the practice of illegal collection of Tk 60/70 from each student during admissions in many of those schools in Narail district.
Our report carried testimonies of guardians who had to make the payments for getting their wards admitted to the schools.
On January 22, the Directorate of Primary Education in Dhaka issued an order asking the Narail district education officer to conduct an inquiry of illegal fee taking for admission government schools in the district.
Tobibor Rahman, district education officer of Narail, yesterday confirmed The Daily Star that the investigation was underway.
We stand by our report.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments