Children from more that 200 villages in Barisal Division have no access to education as there is not even one primary school that caters to them.
This situation persists despite plans to establish 277 schools across six district of Barisal division, as part of a countrywide Primary and Mass-education Directorate (PMED) initiative that planned 1,500 primary schools in such villages. The project began in 2011.
Only 75 primary schools have been established under that project since, the 202 remaining villages still have no primary schools in their locality.
Mahbub E Elahi, deputy director, Barisal divisional PMED, acknoeledged that 94 villages in 7 upazilas of Bhola, 66 villages 10 upazilas of Barisal, 36 villages in 8 upazilas of Patuakhali, 32 villages in 4 upazilas of Jhalakathi, 26 villages in 7 upazilas of Pirojpur and 23 villages in 5 upazilas of Barguna districts have no primary school.
On the other hand, he informed that the division has 3,305 government primary schools, and the government has nationalised more 2,546 registered primary schools recently.
Tauhidul Islam, Barisal district primary education officer, also acknowledging the facts said Barisal district now has 1,481 primary school in its 10 upazilas.
Tauhidul Islam, Barisal district primary education officer, also acknowledging the facts; he informs: except Banaripara upazila still 14 villages in Hizla, 13 in Wazirpur, 11 in Mehendiganj, 9 in Babuganj, 8 in Bakerganj, 5 villages in Sadar, 3 in Muladi, 2 in Agoijhara, 1 in Gournadi upazila has no primary school.
But, Barisal district now has 1,481 primary school in its 10 upazilas, he said.
Both civil servants point at crisis of funds and land for construction, appointment of teachers willing to serve in rural and remote areas created slow pace in the project for netting all villages under primary and mass-education as explanation to why this situation persists.
The students in these villages have to travel kilometers daily to neighbouring villages in order to continue their studies.
More than 200 villages in Barisal division still remained without any school as step for expanding primary education going on slow pace.
Divisional office of the primary and mass-education directorate sources said that government in 2011 took a project to establish 1,500 primary schools in the villages without any schools in their locality.