Without any boundary wall, Birpur Government Primary School in Narsingdi municipality is running just beside a railway line posing risks to its students.
Headmistress of the school Mir Nasrin Sultana said as there was no boundary wall surrounding the school it had become difficult to control the students. “Whenever they get a chance they run to the shops situated on the other side of the railway line taking risks, sometimes they even throw pebbles on the trains while playing,” she said.
Situated at the centre of Narsingdi municipality, Birpur Government Primary School was established in 1929. Later in 1998, a two-storey building was built while another one-storey building was established in 2008 inside the school area.
Because of poor construction work cracks have already developed on different parts of the two-storey building which is situated right beside the railway line, said a number of teachers, students and locals.
Moreover, because of the ongoing construction work for extending the Tangi-Bhairab railway line, heavy vehicles are plying on the road beside school making the building more vulnerable, they said.
During a visit yesterday it was found that a three feet gutter has developed on the school field that students are crossing by a narrow pillar to enter classrooms.
A class two student Sumaiya Siddiqua hurt herself on Wednesday after slipping down from the pillar while crossing the gutter.
Despite informing local administration about the issues, no steps had been taken, said parents and teachers of the school who are passing days in fear of more accidents.
The officials concerned should take immediate steps to address the problems of the school that has a total of 545 students, they said.
Chairman of the school management committee Mostafa Kamal Ahmed said the issues had been informed through written statements several times to the upazila chairman, and primary education officials both at district and upazila level.
“However, I do not see any sign of progress,” he said.
Upazila Education Official Md Abdul Jalil Howlader said: “I have not heard about the issues. However, upon visiting the school, the issues like boundary wall, gutter and vulnerable building will be informed to the concerned higher authority soon. I would make recommendations to take necessary steps.”
