Rangiarpota Government Primary School
Abandoned but still in use for classes
Our Correspondent, Jhenidah
The Rangiarpota Government Primary School building in Sadar upazila may collapse anytime. The authorities concerned abandoned the building three years ago and have done little for its repairs or reconstruction. However, students still study in the dilapidated building, say locals. Some of the students said that some portions of the roof were damaged and cracks developed on other parts. Mortar from the damaged portions keeps falling on the ground, sometimes even injuring young learners.
But the students are compelled to attend the school every day in this situation. When it rains, the authorities declare the school closed as the students and their books get wet because of a leaking roof. Wadud Hossain, an assistant teacher of the school, said: We are scared that the school building may collapse any moment. We do not have any alternative place to hold classes. We run the classes under the open sky near the school building and take shelter in it only when it rains. Many guardians have already stopped sending their children to the school as they fear the building may collapse, he added.
The teacher also said it was not clear why the authorities had not constructed a new school building even after declaring the old building as abandoned.
Kazi Hafiz Uddin, the chairman of Sadhuhati union parishad, said that he had contacted the education department for taking the necessary steps to construct a new building. But the matter was being delayed, he added. Jhenidah district primary education officer Shaikh Akteruzzaman said that he had not been informed about the miserable condition of the school. He, however, promised to look into the matter.
