Many government primary schools in Bangladesh face severe challenges due to vulnerable infrastructures and shortage of resources such as furniture and education materials.
Located mostly in rural areas, these schools are in bad state for numerous cracks on walls, roof leaks and flooding during the rainy season, putting the lives of students at risk of accident.
Poor conditions affect the quality of education and lead to lower attendance and higher dropout rates as parents fear for their children’s safety.
Students of Uttar Bhatkhawa Govt Primary School in Dewanganj upazila of Jamalpur district face serious problem as they attend classes in buildings plagued by structural issues. Cracks on pillars and walls, along with a dilapidated roof, have created a risky environment for learning.
Ceiling plaster frequently falls during classes, leaving students and teachers in constant fear. School authorities explain that they have no alternative but to hold classes in these hazardous buildings.
It’s not just Uttar Bhatkhawa Govt. Primary School facing this issue—over 22,000 primary schools across the country are in vulnerable condition.
Md Abul Hossain, headmaster of the school said, “The building is in dangerous condition, both teachers and students remain in constant fear during class hours. We have no alternative but to hold classes in the dilapidated building.”
Mizanur Rahman, a guardian of a student at the school said, “We are worried about our children’s safety when sending them to school. We urge the authorities concerned to take steps in this regard.”
Despite government efforts, many schools still lack necessary funding for proper maintenance.
22,000 school
buildings risky
According to the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), floods caused damage to around 2,800 primary schools in 11 districts under Sylhet and Chattogram divisions.
The 2022-2023 annual report from the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education says that Bangladesh currently has 1,14,539 primary schools, of which 65,565 are state-run. These schools have 362,709 teachers and approximately 1,71,62,365 students.
DPE sources said that around 20 per cent of the country’s primary schools are in a dilapidated state, putting the lives of thousands of students and teachers at risk. Additionally, 16 per cent of school buildings require repairs.
Field officers and teachers from the DPE reported that the roofs of many of these schools are in poor condition. As of July this year, 49,656 school buildings are new, in good condition, and usable, while 18,271 are old, 16,998 need repairs, 11,613 are dilapidated, 5,252 are risky, 3,307 are abandoned, and 1,348 are unusable. Additionally, the construction of the remaining buildings is still underway.
Many government primary schools are 40 to 50 years old. Of the 26,193 primary schools nationalised in 2013, many are in poor condition, with hundreds more damaged by floods and cyclones. In many cases, school authorities are holding classes in abandoned buildings, putting both teachers and students’ lives at risk.
Kamrul Islam, Assistant Director (Planning and Development) at Directorate of Primary Education, told the Bangladesh Post “Renovating school buildings is an ongoing process. There are thousands of schools across the country. Every year, a separate budget is allocated for this sector. These tasks are carried out based on necessity.”
According to the Third Primary Education Development Program (PEDP3) report published in June 2023 by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) of the Planning Commission, nearly 27 per cent of government primary school buildings require repairs.
The report was compiled based on data from 480 primary schools, and interviews with 1,200 students revealed that 19 per cent of them study in unsafe classrooms where rainwater leaks from the roof.
Primary and Mass Education Secretary Farid Ahmed said that they are building new facilities and enhancing 342 government primary schools in Dhaka.
This is part of the ‘Drishtinandan Project,’ which has a budget of Tk 1,159.21 crore. Each school will have a six-storey building with aesthetically pleasing architecture, modern classrooms, a children’s play area, and various entertainment and educational amenities, including a waiting room for parents, he added.
He also said that plans to extend this initiative across the entire country, aiming to renovate all primary schools in Bangladesh over the next five years.
When contacted, Dr Mohammad Ashraf Sadek, Professor at the Institute of Education and Research, Dhaka University, told the Bangladesh Post, “Life comes first, then education. The deteriorating condition of schools affects the learning environment.”
“It’s clear that both students and teachers live in constant fear during classes, creating significant mental stress, which disrupts the learning process.”
He added, “Schools should provide a joyful learning environment. But in schools operating in risky buildings, that atmosphere is lacking. As a result, students lose focus and motivation in the classroom.”
