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Students of Kashimpur Government Primary School in Garinabari Union of Panchagarh Sadar upazila have been forced to attend classes under the open sky after the school’s dilapidated building was declared unsafe.
Teaching inside the building has been suspended due to serious structural risks, including large cracks in the walls, falling ceiling plaster and exposed steel reinforcement bars, raising fears of a potential collapse. The decision was taken to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
As a result, classes are now being held under the shade of trees on the school grounds. However, lessons are frequently disrupted by rain and extreme heat. Whenever it rains, students have to rush to nearby houses with their books and notebooks for shelter, while scorching temperatures often force teachers to cancel classes.
School officials said the building had been deteriorating for years, but the condition recently worsened as more plaster fell from the ceiling, steel rods became exposed and major cracks spread across different parts of the structure.
“We struggle to study under the hot sun. When it rains, we have to run elsewhere with our books, so we can’t study properly,” said fourth-grade student Ayesha.
Her classmate Omar Faruk said the lack of classrooms has made regular lessons impossible.
“We have to study outside. Classes stop whenever it rains or gets too hot. We urgently need a new school building,” he said.
Nur Jamal, father of a fifth-grade student, said parents were worried about their children’s safety.
“We cannot send our children into a dangerous building, but regular classes are also impossible in the open. Safe classrooms should be arranged immediately,” he said.
Assistant teacher Arfina Begum said teaching in the open without blackboards has made it difficult to conduct written lessons.
“Rain and excessive heat often force us to suspend classes, which is affecting students’ learning,” she said.
Headmaster Md. Abu Bakkar Siddique said student safety remains the school’s top priority.
“We have suspended classes inside the building because of the risk. Holding classes outdoors is only a temporary arrangement. We urgently need temporary classrooms and a new school building,” he said.
Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner Md. Shukria Parvin said the district administration has already taken steps to construct temporary classrooms to ease the students’ hardship.
“We will also send a proposal to the relevant authorities as soon as possible for the construction of a new school building,” she said.