Nearly 500 students at a 145-year-old secondary school in Jhenaidah attend classes every day under the constant threat of an accident as cracked walls, leaking roofs and falling plaster have left classrooms dangerously dilapidated.
At Nagarhat Secondary School in Shailkupa upazila, even a brief spell of rain leaves classrooms flooded, soaking students’ books and exercise books. Teachers and students fear that parts of the ageing buildings could collapse at any moment.
Established in 1881, the school has never received a permanent academic building, leaving teachers struggling with an acute shortage of classrooms and unsafe conditions.
Located on 74 decimals of land in Bogura union, the institution currently has around 500 students. A science building was constructed in 1980 and another building in 1997. Both have become severely dilapidated after years without renovation.
The school has 11 rooms, including offices and classrooms, almost all of which are in poor condition.
Large cracks have appeared in walls and ceilings, while rusted reinforcing rods protrude from damaged concrete. Most classrooms have broken blackboards, benches and chairs.
The condition of an old tin-roofed structure is even worse, with broken doors and windows and walls at risk of collapse. Teachers, students and parents alleged that repeated appeals to the authorities had failed to bring any effective action.
Local residents said safety concerns had prompted many parents to transfer their children to other schools, while some of those still enrolled were reluctant to attend classes regularly.
Student Sabbir Ahmed said the deteriorating environment was affecting both learning and morale.
“It is difficult to study or feel good in such an environment. Schools around us have beautiful buildings, but it is painful even to look at the condition of ours,” he said.
Another student, Sumaiya Khatun, said waterlogging on the school playground had also deprived students of opportunities for sports and recreation.
“We attend classes in constant fear. Sometimes pieces of plaster fall from the ceiling onto our bodies. Whenever it rains, our books and exercise books get soaked,” she said.
Teacher Pradip Mondal said the institution had served the community for generations, but its deteriorating infrastructure was now disrupting education.
“This institution has been spreading the light of education in the area for many years. But the poor condition of the buildings is now hampering studies,” he said.
“We urgently need a new building. Nationalising the school would also make it easier to maintain educational standards.”
Headteacher Mukul Hossain said repeated applications for a new academic building had produced no results.
“We have submitted countless applications for a new building, but nothing has happened. We are forced to conduct classes in these dangerous rooms,” he said.
“The tin-roofed structure could collapse at any time.”
He called for the urgent construction of a new building to protect students’ lives and restore a normal learning environment.
Jhenaidah District Secondary Education Officer Lutfur Rahman acknowledged the problems, saying information was being collected on schools with unsafe buildings across the district.
“We are aware of the dilapidated buildings and waterlogging on the playground. Once the information collection is completed, we will send a report to the higher authorities based on the needs identified,” he said.
He expressed hope that the problems would be resolved after the report was submitted.
For now, however, with no immediate solution in sight, students and teachers continue to attend classes amid fears of an accident, hoping for a safe environment in which education can continue without disruption.
