For decades, the daily routine at K.N. Road Government Primary School in Gaibandha town has followed the same pattern: three to four students in each class, and once they finish their midday meal of khichuri, they go home. This has been the school’s reality for the past 62 years, despite the knowledge of high officials.
The school was established in 1963 and brought under government management in 1973. From the very beginning, teachers were recruited largely through political recommendations from MPs and ministers. As a result, even though the school always had enough teachers, the number of students remained consistently low, reports UNB.
From the outside, the school looks like a pleasant and lively institution surrounded by greenery.
In reality, however, it has long failed to provide proper education. Records show that in some years there were no students enrolled from grades one to five. In other years, classes had as few as 10 to 15 students, rarely exceeding 20.
In certain cases, two different grades were even taught in the same classroom — something parents have complained about for years. Locals say that in six decades, the school has never produced good academic results. Yet, teachers have allegedly managed to keep their jobs by submitting inflated or fabricated reports to the authorities.
“Children don’t want to study here because there is no real learning environment,” said Kachchu Mia, a local resident.
“It’s all negligence and excuses. The education officials know everything, but they ignore it while pocketing money and approving glowing reports.”
In recent years, six new female teachers and a support staff member were appointed in hopes of reviving the institution. Locals noted that these teachers genuinely tried to improve the situation, even going door-to-door to persuade parents to send their children.
Despite their efforts, enrollment remained poor. After much struggle, the school currently has only about 60 students across six grades — including just three in grade three and four in grade four.
Dulal Mia, a former student and resident of the area, explained the decline: “There are many good educational institutions nearby, so naturally parents prefer to send their children there. That’s why the student numbers here keep falling.”
Headteacher Wahida Shirin echoed the frustration: “We have tried our best to increase enrollment, going house to house to request parents. But with coaching centers and well-established schools all around us, children are drawn elsewhere.”
Teachers say they even used their own salaries to provide free khichuri lunches for students in an attempt to boost attendance. “But even then, the children eat and leave,” one teacher said. Despite widespread discussion and criticism, education department officials have not visited the school or given any meaningful advice.
Acknowledging the problem, Gaibandha District Education Officer Lakshan Kumar Das admitted, “We have discussed the poor condition of this school several times in district meetings. Efforts are underway to increase student enrollment.”