Classroom shortage disrupts education in Gaibandha primary school

FE Team | Published: July 04, 2026 22:00:53

Md. Atiqur Rahman Atik
GAIBANDHA, July 04: Students of a primary school in Sadar Upazila of Gaibandha are forced to receive education in congested spaces of three classrooms since five of its classrooms remaining unfit for use.
The institution -- Goyailbari Govt. Primary School -- was established on 34 acres of land in 1922. Now it has 142 current students who are studying from nursery to the fifth grade.
On a visit to the spot in the upazila's Goyailbari village of Badiakhali Union, this correspondent found the five classrooms are in a dilapidated condition, with some lacking doors, windows, and ceiling as the wall coating peels off.
The school also lacks rooms for its teachers, while office functions are being operated in a single room. Since 2024, the school is run by an acting vice principal (VP) and, including her, the institution has four teachers out of five available positions for educators.
Mst. Shahjadi Begum, the acting VP of the school, said the school has a very few classroom compared to the number of students.
"We are forced to take classes in congested spaces," she said adding they have already placed a demand for a new building to the upazila education office (DEO). "If we are allocated a building fast, there won't be any issues in delivering education to students."
Md Kabir Hossain, a local, said beautiful and safe school buildings are essential for education development. "To improve the education system of a country and making a capable future generation, building quality school buildings are very important," he added.
Expressing a similar sentiment, guardians said the
lack of classrooms is a fundamental problem and adequate number of classrooms is essential for the physical and mental wellbeing of students.
They further said that such a crisis in the primary education of the future generation has become a matter of worry and students may lose interest in studies if quick actions are not taken.
Gaibandha Sadar Upazila Primary Education Officer Abdul Hannan said, "PEDP-4 (Fourth Primary Education Development Program) has been closed." He said arrangements will be made for the school if funds are allocated in the next fiscal year.
Gaibandha District Primary Education Officer Lakhan Kumar Das said, "We have sent a list to our department on the schools for which buildings were not constructed in the past 20 years. And in my opinion, the main reason for the school lacking a (new) building is the lack of knowledge of the institution's principal."
"We have a software where all information of the school is uploaded every year. Everything is mentioned there, including the number of classrooms of schools, and the number of benches. I think the abandoned buildings were also shown there," he also said.
"I will talk to the Sadar Upazila education officer to know about the situation of Goyailbari Primary School and if a building is really necessary, I will write to my department filling up an evaluation form. It can't be expected that a building will be constructed as per that, but I will still do that."
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