Classes go on taking life risk

Delwar Kabir, Jhenaidah:

One believes it or not, a government primary school in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah district is declared leave, if a simple cloud is seen in the sky in fear of collapsing the school building from rain or storm. As a result, the academic activities of the school are hampered tremendously.

It is being told about the school named Taminagar government primary school in the Shailakupa upazila, where students are carrying their studies taking risk of lives. But, there is no one to see the matter at all.

During a spot visit, this correspondent found that, plaster from the roof and beams of the school building are being detached one after another and falling into the floor or even heads or bodies of the students attended in the class. Thus, many students and even teachers, who have already sustained injuries, have been given preliminary aids.

Seeking anonymity, some students and teachers said, academic activities including classes have been going on in the vulnerable building for long, none of the authorities concerned has taken any initiative so far in this serious matter.

Guardians of the students including Laily Khatun, Sabiran Nessa, Jharna Khatun, Abdur Razzaq Mollah and Rihul Amin Mollah said that, the   school was established in 1978 by a local education loving person named Seraj Uddin Molla. Later there was built a single-storied building in 1994 with three classrooms. Since the inauguration, the building had not yet been renovated. As a result, cracks have been developed at different points of the building that posing risk of collapse. Besides, smaller and large sized holes have been developed at most of the parts of the roof. Plasters of the roof and beams are seen dropping sometimes. There is a precedent of receiving injuries to some students and teachers, while they were attending at classes. One of them was still suffering with his fatal injury, they said.

Locals said, guardians almost fear of fatal accidents by falling chunk of cemented roof on their children. Besides, the students leave the class when they see any clouds in the sky. They said no maintenance work was conducted in the last couple of decades.

Taminagar government primary school Headmaster Ahad Ali told The Daily Sky that, “We have brought the matter into the notice of authorities concerned, but to no effect. No one of the authorities concerned is yet to pay heeds in this regard. Finding no way, we are being forced to carrying our classes in the risky building with minor children.

Shailkupa upazila primary education officer (UPEO) Biswajit Saha told The Daily Sky that, “We will discuss the matter in the next meeting to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Because of it’s a matter of children lives safety.”