Kids attending classes in 147 risky bldgs

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UNB, Jashore :
The buildings of 147 primary schools in the district have been declared vulnerable, leaving their students at risk of accident anytime.
On April 8, the Primary and Mass Education Ministry asked the district primary education officers to identify very risky buildings of government primary schools across the country and inform it.
The government move came after a Class-III student was killed and three more were injured as the ceiling of a govt primary school collapsed on them in Taltali upazila of Barguna on April 6.
As per the ministry’s instruction, the District Primary Education (DPE) office took the initiative to identify the risky school buildings here. It found 147 out of total 2,285 buildings as vulnerable, said Sheikh Ohidul Alam, district primary education officer. However, students continue to attend classes in those shabby buildings amid the risk of accident as there is no alternative.
According to the DPE office, there are 41 risky primary school buildings in Sharsha upazila while 18 in Sadar, three in Abhaynagar, four in Keshabpur, 12 in Chaugachha, 25 in Jhikargachha, 15 in Bagherpara and 29 in Manirampur upazila.
Shafiqul Islam, head teacher of Madanpur Primary School in Manirampur upazila, said they have been running their academic activities in the dilapidated building for the last 4-5 years amid risk as they could not arrange any alternative.
He said they lodged complaints with the upazila primary education officer on several occasions but there has been no response. “If the school building is not renovated immediately, there might be accident anytime,” he said.

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