More than 300 primary schools running in dilapidated risky buildings in Barguna

Barishal Correspondent :
More than 300 primary schools in Barguna are running in dilapidated risky buildings as the doors and windows of the building are broken, the plaster is falling endangering lives of teachers, staff and students of the institutions.
Teachers, students and parents are in fear of any accident and so the number of students in schools is decreasing day by day .
Those primary school buildings have become unusable due to lack of renovation for a long time as as there is no provision of alternative places.
According to Barguna District Primary Education Office, there are a total of 797 primary schools in Barguna. In this, 323 school buildings have become unusable for teaching.
Among these schools there are 104 in Barguna Sadar Upazila, 75 in Patharghata, 67 in Amtali, 47 in Taltali, 21 in Betagi and 9 in Bamana.
The Korak Government Primary School of Ward No. 4 established in 1944 at Barguna Municipal Town .
Local journalists after visiting he school found that building of the school now has no doors or windows. The plaster is falling off the ceiling and walls. Accidents could happen at any time. So classes are held in a half-baked tin house, but due to lack of sufficient space, two or more classes are taken up in that dilapidated building. Teachers also sit in that risky building.
Khokon Molla said son of the owner of the land of the school, said the building of the school was renovated once in 1992. At present the building is dilapidated but teachers are forced to teach in this building as there is no alternative place.
Former student of the school Abdur Rashid said, because there is no other school nearby in the area, boys and girls are forced to come here taking education with risks. The school building should be declared completely abandoned to avoid risk.
Rakibul Hasan, assistant teacher of Korak Government Primary School, said, often the plaster of the building is falling, fatal accidents could happen at any time. So the number of students in our school is decreasing day by day.
Engineer of Barguna Sadar Upazila LGED Saiful Islam told a tender for construction of 16 schools of Barguna Sadar Upazila have been called. Out of these work order for starting construction of buildings of eight schools have been given. The work of the rest will also start soon.
We have submitted a list of abandoned school buildings in Barguna to the Education Office for renovation. They will quickly take steps to rehabilitate vulnerable and abandoned buildings, he hoped.
Natinalisation, centpercent festival benefit demanded
Human chains, protest marches and memorandums were held in Barisal demanding nationalization of education, 100% festival allowance, 50% dearness allowance and curbing price hike.
Barishal Divisional Struggle Committee of Bangladesh Teacher-Employee Association Federation(BTEAF), organized the programme in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall at Barishal on Monday .
Speakers of the programme said that 5 lakh teachers and employees who play a vital role in developing human resource get only Tk 1,000 as house rent, Tk 500 medical allowance, 25 percent festival bonus. So that it is impossible for a teacher to maintain a minimum standard of living.
Even after 50 years of independence, it is difficult to accept such deprivation. They demanded the full bonus of the teachers-employees at a fast pace in the coming Eid.
Barisal divisional coordinator of BTEAF and divisional convener of Bangladesh College Teachers Association (BACSHIS) Mohsin Ul Islam Habul presided over the programme and addressed among others by Mizanur Rahman Selim, Anwarul Haque, Rezaul Karim, Mamun Howlader.