Kazi Zahidul Hasan: Parents and guardians have deep reservations about the newly formed ad-hoc governing body of the Willes Little Flower School and College alleging presence of massive corruption in the process.
The Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka recently approved about 50 ad-hoc governing bodies of schools and colleges, including Willes Little Flower in the capital, in line with the High Court directive. “The body has been formed indulging corruption. The school authorities have openly interfered in the formation of the committee,” Anjuman Ara Alam, Secretary General of Guardian Forum, told The New Nation on Sunday.
“Even, the teachers and guardians’ representatives have been selected as per their choice with a view to continuing their malpractices that has been going on for years,” she added.
Anjuman Ara alleges that the teachers and the guardians’ representatives have been opted for the newly formed ad-hoc governing body of the school ignoring interest of the guardians and the students.
She urged the government to form another committee dissolving the incumbent one immediately for ensuring good academic ambience as well as preventing corruption.
“Corruption and mismanagement gripped the school management committee leading to deterioration of academic atmosphere and the overall reputation of the institution,” another guardian told The New Nation, seeking anonymity.
He also said both teacher and guardian representatives were selected through nepotism and corruption.
The Dhaka Education Board ordered the school authorities to form an ad-hoc governing body on August 17. The very next day, a female student was admitted to the school from Pirojpur. Afterward, the father of the student was picked up as a guardian representative violating the by-law of the governing body.
“Such irregularity seriously annoyed hundreds of parents and guardians of the school,” said the guardian.
A guardian could be included in the school managing committee after six months of a student’s enrollment.He also accused the school authority of being involved in coaching business. We raised the issue several times, but they did no pay heed to us.
Brushing aside the corruption allegations, Abul Hossain, acting principal of the school, told The New Nation yesterday that the ad-hoc governing body of the school was formed as per the rules. Besides, the teachers and guardians’ representatives have been selected through proper procedure.
“The school authorities did not indulge irregularities in its formation,” claimed Abul Hossain adding that all these allegations are false and fabricated.
Abul Hossain further said that all these are nothing but an adverse campaign against the school. A ‘vested quarter’ is running the campaign only to tarnish image and reputation of the school.
Replying to a question, he said, the person, who has been selected as guardian representative in the school’s governing body, is the father of two former students. Recently, he also enrolled his younger daughter in this school. So, what’s wrong in it?
