CHANDPUR, Oct 05: About 12,000 students of government primary schools in Chandpur's Kachua Upazila have been taking classes in dilapidated school buildings where plasters fall off walls and roofs all of a sudden and students' clothes get wet due to leaking rainwater.
A total of 38 govt. primary schools in the upazila have dilapidated buildings out of the 171 in the upazila, according to Upazila Primary Education Officer Shahina Akter. More or less 300 students have to attend each of these schools.
During a visit to the Khila Government Primary School, Dakhshin Ashrafpur Government Primary School and Rasulpur Government Primary School, the FE correspondent found plaster fell off the walls and roofs of the buildings while rainwater, which was seen accumulated on the floor and verandas, made students' clothes and books wet. The windows and pillars of the buildings were also in poor condition.
Students alleged their classmates have stopped coming to the school out of the fear of injuries.
Head teachers Khaleda Aktar, Mamtaj Begum, and Abdul Motaleb of Dariya Hayatpur Govt. Primary School, Noagaon Govt Primary School and Uttar Ujani Govt Primary School, said teachers remain in constant panic due to the deplorable condition of the buildings.
Upazila Primary Education Officer Shahina Akter said they have prepared a list of the dilapidated school buildings and sent a report to the higher authorities highlighting their condition so that quick actions are taken.
Guardians of the children said they stay intensely panicked and worried after sending their children to schools as the buildings "may collapse any time" and injure their kids. Some parents alleged that the education of their children is being hampered due to the condition of the school buildings.
Guardians and locals have called upon the government to take effective and immediate steps to demolish the dilapidated academic buildings and built new ones as soon as possible.
Other govt. primary schools in the upazila which have dilapidated buildings are named after the areas Bitara, Shilsthan, Uttar Shibpur, Shuaroll, Uttar Ujani, Baroiyara, Tetuiyya, Komorkasha, Koroiyya, Sadipura, Nalua Daulatpur, Nindapur, Jola Tetuiyya, Ashrafpur NE-2, Nindopur, Paschim Aliara, Changpur, Khajuria Luxmipur, Chandpur-66 , Koya Chandpur , Noapara, Debipur, Changini, Buthunda, Noorpur, Horichail, Nowpura, Dogor, Koroish, Ghagra, Safibad, Hossainpur, Boruchar, Baroiyara and Vati Chhinaiya.
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