Bhangura (Pabna) Correspondent :
Student crisis has reached an extreme level at eight government primary schools in Bhangura upazila of Pabna. The schools are Patharghata Kacharibari, Dasmorich, Raghunathpur, Jhi: Kolkati, Betuan Purba-Dakshin Para, Betuan Dakshinpara, Jhabjhabia and Pachpatul Government Primary Schools in the upazila. It has been reported that the number of students in these schools is decreasing every year. This year, there were no more than 55 to 75 students on average in these schools from first to fifth grade.
However, the Department of Primary Education has determined six posts of teachers for each school and appointed the same number of teachers there.
According to the government’s policy, the teacher-student ratio is 33:1, in other words one teacher for 33 students. Accordingly, each of these schools was supposed to have a minimum of 198 students.
In reality, the government is wasting a huge amount of money to pay the salaries of surplus teachers in these schools because the number of students is very low. However, some schools with more students, including Saratnagar Government Primary School in the upazila, are facing a teacher shortage.
Shams Farzana Shapla, acting headmaster of Jhi:Kolkati Government Primary School, said that 67 students studied in this school with six teachers this year. She commented that despite efforts, the number of students could not be increased.
Upazila Primary Education Officer Md. Sekendar Ali admitted that there were fewer students in those schools and said that various programs including parent-teacher meetings and homework have been taken place at the beginning of the New Year to increase the number of students. For this, various instructions have been issued to teachers.
