One believes it or not, a government primary school in Shailkupa upazila of Jhenaidah is unofficially declared holiday when a simple cloud is seen in the sky fearing any storm or heavy shower.
Plaster from the roof and beams of the building drop always where a number of minor students sustained injuries during class at Taminagar Government Primary School. The teachers with their students are conducting classes ignoring the risk of their lives and property for last over a decade, while, the authority virtually did not take any initiatives to look in to the serious matter.
Guardians of the students Laily Khatun, Sabiran Nessa, Jharna Khatun, aged Abdur Razzaq Mollah and an ex-student a government official Ruhul Amin Mollah rushed the school when the y had heard of arrival of the media activists in the school. They said the school established in 1978 by a local education interested person Seraj Uddin Molla where a single-storied building with three classrooms in 1994. Since inauguration the building was renovated. Smaller and larger holes were developed at most of the parts of the roof and plasters of roof and beams were dropping frequently. A good number of students were injured during classrooms. One of them was still suffering with his fatal injury, they said.
According to the locals, a good number of guardians reside nearby stays at the school fearing the safety of their minor children. Further, the students leave the class when they see any clouds in the sky. They said no maintenance work was conducted in last couple of decades and plaster from each and every parts of the building started cracking day by day.
Taminagar government primary school headmaster Ahad Ali and three other teachers when contacted said they had brought the matter in to the notice of the authority since long while they virtually did not pay any heed to it. Finding no other alternative they have been conducting classes regular in the risky building with their minor children.
Shailkupa upazila primary education officer (UPEO) Biswajit Saha when contacted for his comments said they were informed about the risky school building said they are going to discuss the matter of upazila development and coordination meeting for next course of action. The headmaster was advised to get prepared for the decision, UPEO Biswajit Saha said.
