School-going children who live in Barikanda union under Nabinagar upazila, Brahmanbari are deprived off secondary level education as there in no high school at the locality.
Shah Jahan Sarker, chairman of the union council said: “A total of 30,000 people live in eight villages of the union and 2,500 students complete their primary education every year.”
“Theses students are deprived of secondary education as there is no high school in the area,” he said.
“Few of them go to Salimganj High School which is 5 kilometer away from here. Everyday a student has to count Tk100 as rickshaw fare and the maximum guardians have no ability to bear the cost. So, dropout is increasing rapidly,” he added.
According to sources, the union is situated at the east of the upazila. Of the 21 unions, Barikanda is deprived of mostly.
The people of Dharbhanga, Mukterpur, Nurjahanpur, Dulaiganj, Thollakandi, Barikandi, Kulasing and Sonabalia villages had urged the concern authority to build up a high school many times. But there was no ray of hope.
Few years ago, former MP Abdul Latif had taken a step to build up a high school in the area. But, after his death there was no discussion about it.
Aminul Islam of Thollakandi village said: “Maximum people in the area live under poverty line. They have no ability to send their kids to a long distance high school. If there is a school in the area for them, it would a great benefit form them.”
Sohrab Hossain of Nurjahanpur said: “The communication in the area is not good at all. The children do not want to go to Salimpur due to vulnerable situation of roads.”
Hasan Majnu of Muktarpur village said: “Maximum students stop their study after completing primary education due to absent of a high school.”
Jannat Akter Jui, Class VI student Salimganj High School who goes from Dharbhanga village said:“ It is impossible to go to school regularly due to bad shape of roads and high cost.”
Md Shah Alam, a physician said that a high school was urgently needed to spread the light of education in the area.
Officer in Secondary and Higher Education Abu Touhid said: “If anybody in the area takes steps to build up a high school, we will help him.”