Cracks appear on the walls of the building, and the rooftop might just collapse at any time. Still students of former Bilchhari Primary School in Lama upazila of Bandarban sit through their classes every day, risking their lives.
Local sources said the guardians are worried about their children’s safety due to lack of renovation of the old building and not erecting new structures.
In a recent visit to the spot, this correspondent found that most of the school students belong to indigenous community, and are living in the neighbouring five to six localities. As the building was constructed a long ago, cracks have developed on each and every wall of the school.
The thatch is made by bamboo, leaving it vulnerable to disaster at any time.
Aung Sui Ching Marma, a grade 5 student of the school, told the Dhaka Tribune that they are afraid of rain as leaks on the roof mean that they are never sheltered from the rain water.
For the first time, three semi brick-built rooms were constructed in 1993 while a concrete building with two rooms was erected in 2001.
A total of 127 students are currently studying in this school but many of them are taught under open sky due to lack of classrooms. Besides, those who are taught in the classrooms are not immune to the risks.
The Assistant Teacher of the school Daulat Zaman said they have to continue giving lessons till a new building is constructed.
Moreover, students have to suffer terribly as toilets and tube-wells are absent in this school although the results of primary school certificate exams show that pass rate is 100 percent.
Lama Upazila Council Chairman Thowain Aung Chowdhury said: “We are hopeful that the Ministry of Education will take necessary action soon in this regard.”