RAJSHAHI, Nov 24: A train-shaped primary school named 'Gyaner Alo Express' has been launched at Dhadash village in Puthia upazila of the district to attract students to the academic education.
It looks like a red-green train waiting for passengers. It is not a train but a school building. Official sources said an oldbuilding of Dhadash Government Primary School has been decorated like a train to attract students to education.
The school is showing students the dream of conquering the space. So, the destination of this fictional train is from called 'Dhadash to Mohakash'. Each compartment of the train is a classroom. Sources concerned said that Dhadash Government Primary School started its journey in 1967 with a four-room building built with tin canopies. In 2000, another building with a few classrooms was also set up close next to the old one.
However, due to the shortage of classrooms, the third, fourth and fifth classes are held in three rooms in the old building.
The remaining room is used as a library. But in these dilapidated and untidy classrooms, students could not concentrate on their studies.
The old building has been decorated like a train to hide its dilapidation condition.
When the picture of that building was spread on social media, headmistress of the school Dilruba Khatun is being praised for taking such an initiative.
During a visit, this correspondent has found that the school located in a remote village has a touch of aesthetics everywhere from the boundary wall to the classrooms.
There is a world map globe at the entrance of the school. An adjacent building houses pre-primary and infant class rooms. All the toys for children are kept on one side.
Apart from this, the entire campus is like a children's park. The walls are painted with flowers. Firmament is painted on the roof of these buildings.
Several cartoons, including Meena-Raju, have been painted on the wall. Glass windows are also made with colour. 'Gyanner Alo Express' is written on a paper next to it. Visiting the classroom, this correspondent has found that there is a paper box hanging on the wall with the names of all the students. There, students write positive or negative messages to their classmates.
As a result of such innovative initiative, the dropout rate in this school is zero. So, the school has been selected as the best primary school at the national level in 2022.
Besides, the institution won the British Council International Award in 2022. The school is also on the list of Microsoft Showcase Schools of Microsoft Education Programmes.
Rafia Khatun, a class-IV student, said, "Earlier the classroom was dilapidated. Now sitting on the train feels like studying. No school has a train like ours."
Abdur Rakib, a local resident, said the school is very clean. It is also nice to see from the outside. It seems that a train stands on the school ground.
Dilruba said, "The first challenge for us was to bring students to the school, we did it. Now we are trying to create the mentality of students to succeed in every station of life."
"One of the goals of primary education is to inspire students to dream of a better life. We're doing just that. They are being shown the dream of conquering the space. So, the school is painted like a train to attract students."
anaetru@gmail.com