Studentsin in south Bangladesh attend classes under open sky

This recent photo shows students of BM Dangi Government Primary School in Charbhadrasan upazila of Faridpur attending classes under the open sky. Independent photo

Students of BM Dangi Government Primary School under the Char Harirampur union of Charbhadrasan upazila in Faridpur, south-central Bangladesh, have been taking lessons under the open sky even in the season of Nor’westers.

It has been learnt that the school was set up on 33 decimals of land in BM Dangi village in 1971. It was nationalised in 1973.

A pukka school building was built in 1997, but it faced a growing erosion threat from the Padma river. As a result, the authorities concerned sold the school building in an auction. The school land was eventually swallowed by the river.

 Classes began to be held on a covered space on the courtyard of Md Motaleb Hossain’s house.

Currently, the school has four teachers and 141 students. The school’s assistant head teacher, Asiya Nur, is currently participating in a training programme. The three other assistant teachers—Momtaz Begum, Shefali Rani Roy, and Mohasin Molla—are giving lessons under the open sky.

During a storm on March 30 this year, the school shed was blown away. Consequently, classes are now being held under the open sky. Mohasin Molla said: “Giving lessons under the open sky in this season is really difficult. This problem needs to be resolved soon.”

Chadni Akhter, a Class V student, said: “A storm blew away our school shed. We've to attend classes under the open sky.”

 School managing committee president Motaleb Hossain said: “The school should be shifted to its own location, which is now a char land.” Upazila primary education officer Ashraful Haque said: “Mizanur Rahman, assistant education officer, was sent to the spot. Upazila chairman Badal Amin has been clearly told to take measures on the basis of his official report.”

 “It's not a suitable time to shift the school. A man donated 13 decimals of land to the school, where it is now situated. Steps will be taken to set up the school there,” he added.

 District primary education officer Shib Pado Dey said: “I talked to the upazila parishad chairman about the school. The chairman wanted to raise a shed on 13 decimals of land soon after a meeting of the upazila parishad.”

Editor: Wang Shixue