About 400 children at a char of Jamuna River in Shibalaya upazila are being deprived of education due to absence of any educational institution in the area.
As there is no opportunity for studies, the children are now growing up playing and grazing cattle head.
Local sources said human settlement began at Char Kanaidia, 3 km north-west off the upazila headquarters, about 15 year back. Most the residents are fishermen by profession.
At least 250 families have school going kids now at the char. But lack of educational institution in the area has deprived them of education.
There are schools more than three km away for the char. The children have to wade through water and cross the Jamuna River for which they feel reluctant to go to school.
While talking to UNB, Sohel, Masud, Priya, Tania and a few other children expressed their desire to take education, but lack of school stands as an obstacle to that desire.
They demanded setting up of a school in their area so that they can have easy access to education.
Guardians said that they built a tin-shed school with the assistance of char people and local lawmaker and upazila Jubo League president.
But the activities of the school could not start due to lack of teachers and necessary furniture, they said.
Contacted, Shibalaya upazila assistant education officer Selima Akhter said her office recently sent a proposal to the higher authorities for setting up a government primary school in the area.
Source : The Daily Star
