KHULNA: Housed in a dilapidated building and with around half the posts of its staff vacant, Goalkhali Government School for the Blind and the Deaf in Khulna is plagued with multi-pronged problems over the years, reports UNB.
All its activities are running in the 50-year-old school buildings which are now in a crumbling state. Alongside the prolonged teacher shortage, 50 percent posts of the school staff, including that of superintendent, are lying vacant.The boundary wall of the institution is also almost gone.
The school has no house tutor; nor is there any matron to look after the school children.There are no steps in sight to get the way out of the problems, though especially shortage of skilled teachers is hampering studies beyond description. Years are passing by; yet no effective initiative is being taken to solve the school’s perennial problems. Authorities’ sources said only government intervention can save the school from further deterioration of its state. School sources said during inception it offered education up to Grade 5, which was later elevated to Grade 10. At present, 120 students are receiving education in the school against its total capacity of 130. Of them, 44 are blind and 76 are deaf.
Three students of the school are prospective Secondary School Certificate examinees but there are no teachers to guide them at present. They now have to do classes in other nearby schools along with regular students. As the regular textbooks are not disabled-friendly, these special students are finding it hard to keep pace with their regular peers. The school has enough space for accommodation of the students but the building has become so old that it is unfit for living.
Also with as less as Tk 2,600 monthly allocation for each student, it is very difficult to maintain their living at the school. Three posts of teachers at the school are currently lying vacant. At present, only four fulltime teachers and eight part time teachers give lessons at the school.
Of the total 34 administrative posts in the school, 16 are vacant, which are of school coordinator, school nurse, house tutor and office assistant. The school buildings, including the academic building, built in 1962, have turned dilapidated. It is learnt, some blind and deaf students went missing from the school in the past.
Although they were found later, security measures at the school have not been tightened yet. Two guards of the school are finding it hard to maintain security on its premises.Despite all problems, the students have been showing significant progress in their respective academic fields and curricular activities. Blind students Saddam and Azizul told UNB that besides studies, they are also learning to sing and play. They added that as long as the school coordinator is here, they feel good but when he is not there, there is nobody to look after them. Kazi Mohammad Ibrahim, additional coordinator of the school, said, “Technically I’m not the school coordinator but since there is nobody here, I am performing extra duties of 4 other posts.” He also said the authorities concerned have inspected the school and were informed about all the problems faced by the school. However, no measures have been taken to address the problems as yet, he added.