United News of Bangladesh

Children in the remote char areas of Phulchari upazila have battled for generations more than poverty and distance to attend school. They have also had to contend with a shifting landscape as the Jamuna and Brahmaputra rivers repeatedly swallow their homes, roads and educational institutions. Now, a dispute over the relocation of a primary school has added another obstacle, disrupting classes and leaving the education of scores of children uncertain. Angaridah Government Primary School, established in 1946 through the initiative of local residents, was intended to bring education closer to children living in the char areas of Gajaria Union. But the school has struggled to maintain a permanent home. Repeated river erosion has forced it to move several times over the decades. According to local residents, the school has been washed away or relocated at least 12 times since its establishment. Following the devastating floods and erosion of 1988, the school was re-established in Angaridah char. Yet, once again, the relentless advance of the Jamuna has forced it to abandon its latest location. A school on the move As the river continued to eat away at the school grounds, its structure was dismantled. Educational materials, furniture and corrugated iron sheets were also removed and transported to a remote part of nearby Ziadanga char, where the school was reassembled. The move, however, has sparked a dispute between two groups of local residents. Some villagers alleged that an influential group deliberately selected the isolated location to serve its own interests. They argued that the site is far from the main settlement and unsuitable for a school serving children from the wider community. Others have demanded that the school be moved to a more populated area, closer to the children who need it most. The disagreement has created tension in the community and disrupted the normal functioning of the school. In an effort to keep education going, teachers have set up a makeshift shed at the new site and resumed classes. But the temporary arrangement has done little to resolve the problems facing students and teachers. Learning under a tin roof Attendance has reportedly dropped sharply since the school moved to the remote section of Ziadanga char. Many students are reluctant to make the journey to the new location. For those who do attend, the learning environment is far from ideal. The tin-roofed structure stands on a sandy riverbank, where temperatures rise sharply during the day. Rain further disrupts classes, making it difficult for students to concentrate and teachers to continue lessons, said students and their guardians. The shortage of space has compounded the problem. Three classes are being conducted simultaneously in the same room, creating an environment in which effective teaching is extremely difficult. Local residents also said the dispute has affected teachers’ attendance, with some reportedly failing to attend classes regularly. Search for a solution Concerned over the situation, Phulchari Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Mostafizur Rahman and officials from the Upazila Education Committee recently visited the school to assess its condition. Following the visit, they recommended relocating the school to a densely populated area near Ziadanga Mosque, where a larger number of students live. The proposed site, officials believe, would provide children with easier access to the school and help create a more suitable learning environment. However, local residents alleged that some influential people are opposing the proposed relocation, prolonging the dispute and leaving the future of the school uncertain. Gajaria Union Parishad Chairman Khorshed Ali Khan Khushu said the decision to establish the school near Ziadanga Mosque has been taken in accordance with government regulations. He said continued obstruction to the relocation would ultimately harm the students and urged all concerned to cooperate in ensuring a suitable learning environment.