Ensure schools are safe for all

It is unacceptable that over 21,500 primary schools across the country continue to operate despite being in severe disrepair, endangering the lives and well-being of thousands of teachers and students. Bangladesh has 107,000 primary educational institutions, including 65,567 government schools. Nearly 11 million students from grades one to five are taught by more than 384,000 teachers in the government schools. Alarmingly, however, around 20 percent of all primary schools nationwide are in dilapidated condition, putting the lives of teachers and students at risk. The situation has worsened due to the recent flash floods that damaged around 2,800 primary schools in 11 districts across the Sylhet and Chattogram divisions, according to the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE).
In addition to those already in severe disrepair, the DPE reports that another 16 percent of schools need repairs, underscoring years of neglect that have led to the current crisis. As of July this year, DPE officials classified 49,656 school buildings as “new, good, and usable,” 18,271 as “old,” 16,998 as “repairable,” 11,613 as “dilapidated,” 5,252 as “risky,” 3,307 as “abandoned,” and 1,348 as “non-usable,” with the remainder under construction. Many government primary schools are 40 to 50 years old, and a significant number of the 26,193 schools nationalised in 2013 are currently in a poor condition, while several hundreds were damaged by floods or cyclones. Despite this, some schools are forced to hold classes in buildings that have been declared abandoned.
Under these circumstances, both students and teachers are being placed in harm’s way, while the learning environment is clearly unfavourable. When the fear of structural collapse looms, how can effective teaching and learning take place? The education authorities have initiated “beautification” projects at several government schools in Dhaka, but such efforts must be urgently expanded to other districts.
According to a report, the August floods in the southeastern and northeastern regions caused damage to infrastructure, furniture, books, and documents at 2,799 government primary schools across 11 districts. The government should, therefore, begin repair programmes outside Dhaka, prioritising the schools most affected. Moreover, the government must establish a system to ensure regular maintenance for all government schools and hold private schools accountable for timely repairs. A safe environment for students and teachers is a basic right that must be fulfilled.