For 62 years, KN Road Government Primary School has stood in the heart of Gaibandha town with its classrooms and teachers in place, but without students.
Most children show up just to eat the free ‘khichuri’ before heading home, leaving behind rows of deserted benches and a school struggling to serve its purpose.
The school, located on V-Aid Road at the heart of the town, was established in 1963 and was nationalised in 1973.
Since its inception, the school has had no shortage of teachers, thanks to MP and ministerial recommendations, but has consistently lacked students.
From the outside, the school appears to be a vibrant educational institution with a pleasant environment, yet the reality is starkly different.
Records show that in some years, there were no students at all from class one to five. In other years, class sizes ranged between 10 and 20 students at most, with some classes having as few as three or four pupils.
In many cases, two classes are conducted in the same room, raising concerns among parents about how such lessons are managed. Locals allege that the school has failed to produce good results in its entire history.
Despite this, teachers reportedly continue their jobs by filing fabricated reports to higher authorities with the help of influential contacts.
“Since its foundation 62 years ago, this school has not been able to deliver quality results. Teachers have managed to hold their posts by submitting false monthly reports,” a resident alleged.
Another local, Kachchu Miah, said, “There is no environment for proper education here, only negligence. Education officials know everything but remain silent while filling their pockets and submitting positive reports.”
Recently, six new female teachers and an office assistant were appointed in an effort to improve the school’s condition.
The teachers even went door-to-door seeking students, but their efforts largely went in vain.
At present, the school has managed to retain only around 60 students across six classes, including three pupils in class three and four in class four.
“We have tried hard to increase the number of students. We personally requested parents to send their children, but the outcome was not satisfactory. Around the school there are better government and non-government schools, as well as coaching centres, which attract children away from us,” said headteacher Wahida Shirin.
Other teachers added that they have been using their own salaries to provide khichuri to students at lunch in a bid to keep them at school. “But even then, they eat and leave,” one teacher said.
Dulal Miah, a former student and resident living in front of the school, said, “There are good schools around this area, so naturally children go there. That is why the number of students at KN Road Government Primary School has kept falling.”
Local residents said the situation has been widely discussed, but education officials have avoided providing any guidance and rarely visit the school.
Acknowledging the issue, Gaibandha District Education Officer Lakshan Kumar Das said, “The school’s poor condition has been discussed several times at district-level meetings. We are trying to increase the number of students there.”