Students are being taught at the risk of their lives inside a dilapidated building in Rudronagar Government Primary School in Damurhuda Upazila of Chuadanga district.
Cracks have developed in the roof and walls and plaster falls off the ceilings regularly. The dilapidated run-down building is now on the verge of collapse and was declared abandoned in 2018 but authorities of the school continues its academic activities there putting students’ lives at great risk.
Teachers and students say that a few concrete tins in the sami-paca building flew away by storm, causing water to accumulate on the classroom floor and wet benches and books in slight rain. The tin-shed buildings shake during storms. When it rains, the teaching of the students is stopped. Parents do not want to send their children to school if they see clouds in the sky. On the other hand teachers and students suffer due to teaching in the summer season.
Construction of new buildings is essential for teaching students in a safe environment. Contacting the concerned office including the upazila engineer's office regarding the demand for a new building did not get any response. On May 9 this year, Chuadanga-2 Constituency Member of Parliament Ali Azgar gave a written letter to the Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education for the construction of a new building. She (headmaster) submitted the letter herself but no progress has been reported in the last two months, said head teacher Anwara Khatun.
According to school sources, the school was established in 1972 on the initiative of local educationists. It was nationalized in 1974. From the beginning, teaching took place in bamboo mats and tin-shed. In 1982, a four-room sami-paca building was officially constructed. In 2018, a few concrete tins were blown away by storm. Apart from this, due to lack of renovation for a long time, cracks were created in the walls of the building. Because of this, in 2018, Upazila Engineering Department declared the sami-paca building abandoned.
Upazila Education Officer Saki Salam said, Upazila Engineering Department has been informed in writing to auction the abandoned building in January.
She also said, 'Schools which have more than 200 students have been approved for new buildings. Apart from this the list of 30 more schools under special consideration has been sent to the concerned department. Where the name of Rudranagar Government Primary School is number 2 in the list.
