Students attend classes amid fear of roof collapse at Kurigram school

Students of Subharkuti Government Primary School in Sadar Upazila of Kurigram district are attending classes in anxiety and fear due to the dilapidated condition of the building.

Their parents are also fearful of their safety during classes, reports UNB.

According to locals, the school was founded in 1944. In 2001, the authorities constructed a two-storey building on the compound.

Currently, there are 275 students and five teachers.

Several cracks have developed in the building while plaster often falls from the ceiling, creating panic among the students.

The matter was brought to the notice of the higher authorities several times but no initiative has been taken yet.

Md. Asaduzzaman, a student of the school, said, “We were attending our class in a room and then our teachers moved us to another room. If the authorities concerned do not take any initiative soon, an accident may occur anytime.”

Headteacher of the school, Khandaker Tanjina Mamtaz, said several cracks have formed in the beams, walls and roof of the building and plaster of the ceiling often falls. “I have informed the matter to the higher authorities. We are taking classes after moving students to another room but the library and a number of classrooms are in risky condition,” she said.

SM Shariful Islam Khandaker, upazila education officer, said, “We have had a meeting on July 23 and a report on the dilapidated condition of the school building will be sent to Dhaka for urgent renovation work.”

Md Rashedul Hasan, upazila nirbahi officer, said, “We have informed the matter to the upazila’s Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) office and they are assessing the situation. Once we get the report, we’ll send it to the higher authorities concerned.”