Selim Reza, Sirajganj :
Kindergarten (KG) schools in the district of Sirajganj have become a good source of income.
Financially established individuals have been setting up kindergarten schools one after another taking the advantage of insufficient number of government primary schools. Although the founders are becoming financially gainers, most of the kindergarten schools have failed to fulfill the conditions set by the government.
Shortage of accommodation facility, inadequate furniture, lack of waiting rooms for the guardians of the students, absence of playground and sports apparatus, little importance to religious teachings and crawling environment are the characteristics of most of the KG schools in the district.
Many a guardian said that their children were not receiving education as per expectation though they spent eight to 10 times more money in KG schools that in the government primary school. It is learnt that KG schools are found in the rural areas also to allure the financially strong guardians to send their children thereto. Sources said, there are 53 KG schools in Sirajganj town alone and down. Most of these schools admit students from play group to class five while some providing facility up to class eight.
Every student pay a very good amounts as tuition and admission fees, Besides, he or she pays money for schools dress, name plate, batch, Khata, school diary and transportation. Yet after it, these schools are not sufficient in furniture like chair, bench, desk and black board. Sometimes six to seven students sit on single bench against the norms.
It is alleged that these schools maintain secret relationship with different book sellers, tailors, book binders wherefrom they receive good amount as commission. The salary of the teachers being small, qualified and skilled teachers are not generally appointed. When there are no or small number of skilled teachers, good education cannot be expected . The saddest thing is that the kindergarten schools being accommodated in buildings, the students have no opportunity to develop as sportsmen. As a result, both mental an physical growth are handicapped.
In many KG schools, there is no practice of giving home task to the students, which make them idle and aversion to study. It any student raise the issue, he is harshly treated. The reason of non-practice may be that now a days unemployed youths having highest Bachelor Degree have opened kindergarten schools in rural areas.
Having no training on how to teach students, the grope in the dark and produce poor result but make quick money.
It is said that many KG schools follow not integrated syllabuses. Though the directors claim that thy have orchestrated standard syllabus, in reality they follow the text books selected the government.
