On a school day, rows of empty benches outnumbered students at Swamibag Government Primary School in Dhaka, where only a few children were present during scheduled class hours.
At around 10am, three children were seen sitting in one classroom without a teacher. By around 1pm, the few students who remained had left, saying classes were over.
On another day, five students were present. However, government records show that the school has 58 students and 5 teachers.
The contrast between official records and what is visible inside classrooms is not limited to one school.
Over three days, Dhaka Tribune visited several government primary schools in Dhaka’s Sutrapur area, including Government Colony Primary, Swamibag Primary, Bongobashi Government Primary, Muslim Government and Narinda primary schools, at different times between 10am and noon.
The visits found classrooms with very few students, aging infrastructure, stagnant water, unclean surroundings, and limited space for children to play.
Paper enrolment masks empty classrooms
The gap between official data and ground reality extends to several other government primary schools in the area, including Bangla Bazar, Bongobashi, Muslim and Wari Mohila Somity primary schools.
Sutrapur Thana has 48 government primary schools, 322 working teachers, and 8,274 enrolled students.
Data shows low enrolment at several institutions. Muslim Government Primary School has 23 enrolled students for 4 teachers, Bongobashi Government Primary School lists 26 students for 3 teachers, Nobendro Boshak Lane Government Primary School has 32 students; and Narinda Mohila Somity Government Primary School reports 40 students.
However, the figures do not tell the whole story.
At Swamibag Government Primary School, official records list 58 students and five working teachers against six approved posts. Government data also shows that the school has nine classrooms, three toilets and a safe drinking water source.
During two separate visits, however, only three and five students, respectively, were seen at the school. Some classrooms were covered in dust, while waterlogging made parts of the school unsuitable for classes.
Addressing the discrepancy, Samina Yasmin, headteacher of Swamibag Government Primary School, said: “We have continuously informed the senior authorities about the structural issues at the school. They are well aware of the issue. Our teachers repeatedly encourage students to attend school and communicate with parents, but many children attend for a few days before becoming irregular again.”
She defended the teaching staff while acknowledging the attendance problems.
“We take classes regularly. But when there are no students, what classes can we take?” she added.
Kishori Rani Biswas, headteacher of Bongobashi Government Primary School, said: “Since I joined the school, I have tried my best to improve the situation. Currently, 33 students are enrolled here. We are continuously working to gradually increase the number of students.”
What the classrooms look like
The problem is not limited to attendance. Plaster on the entrance walls was peeling off, revealing damp and weathered brickwork. The narrow passage leading inside was littered with debris and stagnant water.
Broken bricks, rubbish and stagnant water were visible in different areas of the premises. Moss had accumulated along parts of the boundary wall and in narrow spaces behind classrooms.
Classrooms were covered in dust and contained only a few broken benches and a fractured wallboard.
A significant portion of the school premises was waterlogged, with dark, dirty rainwater standing for extended periods. The stagnant water was accompanied by mosquitoes.
The surroundings of school equipment also appeared poorly maintained.
Similar problems were observed at Government Colony Primary School and most of the other schools visited in the area. In several places, aging buildings, limited open space and poor cleanliness were visible.
Why are parents looking elsewhere
For many families, government primary schools remain an affordable option. But parents interviewed during the field visits said low cost alone was no longer enough to convince them to choose these schools.
Subhan Rahman, a guardian of two children, said the facilities and classroom environment were not satisfactory.
“The facilities are not very good. Classes are also not always held properly. That is why many people are not interested in sending their children here,” he said.
Farida Yasmin pointed to another problem, describing a cycle in which declining attendance further weakens the school environment.
“Classes are not always held regularly, and the infrastructure is also unsatisfactory. Besides, it creates a cycle. There are fewer students, so there is less activity in the classroom. Again, because the environment is not good, new students do not come,” she said.
Private institutions filling the gap
Sharmin Sultana, a resident of the area, has not sent either of her two children to a government primary school. Instead, both attend a private institution.
For her, the decision was not simply about academic considerations.
“The school has transport and other facilities, which is important for working mothers. I don’t have to worry about taking my children to and from school,” she said.
“Private institutions follow a more up-to-date curriculum and provide greater individual attention to students,” she added.
Highlighting the systemic nature of the issue, educationist Prof Dr Manzoor Ahmed said affluent and middle-class urban families have long shifted away from government primary institutions.
Emphasizing that physical access alone cannot sustain enrollment without quality and safety, he said: “Dilapidated infrastructure, teacher shortage, security concerns, teaching methods, lack of play areas, and the absence of individualized learning support are driving parents away from government primary schools.”
What the authorities say
Commenting on the structural deficiencies, Nahida Sultana, assistant thana education officer (ATEO) of Sutrapur, told Dhaka Tribune: “We are aware of the infrastructural issues in several schools under our jurisdiction. We have documented these concerns and submitted requests for necessary allocations to the higher authorities. Once funds are sanctioned, renovation and infrastructure improvement works will begin.”
She acknowledged administrative shortages, saying: “Some of the schools lack headteachers and assistant headteachers.”
She added: “Although student numbers are low due to parental reluctance, we are actively working to raise awareness among them. We are conducting cluster-based monitoring and submit weekly reports. If any teacher is found negligent in performing their classroom duties upon investigation, strict action will be taken.”
At a recent press conference, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj said monitoring should not rely only on administrative reports and paperwork but should be based on actual results.
On the declining attendance of students, Bobby Hajjaj told Dhaka Tribune: “We are trying to understand and meet the needs of parents and students and take measures accordingly. Government facilities are meant for the people. Our effort will be to understand what people want and find ways to meet those needs. If we fail to meet their needs, government primary schools will eventually be closed."
Asked about the government’s plans for the schools’ infrastructure, he said: “Yes, I am aware of the condition of the buildings. We are working to modernize these buildings, and hopefully, the work will begin by the end of this year or early next year.”
Educationists say government primary schools remain one of the few affordable avenues for formal education for many low-income families in Dhaka. If these institutions continue to lose students while private alternatives expand, the issue could affect access to affordable and equitable education in the capital.
