There was a time when the children would not even go away from their mother's contract.
When we ask them to go to school, they start crying. And once at school, we had to stay with them. But now, they don’t pass the time anymore. When it's time for school, they go by themselves.
These words were shared by Beauty Begum and Sheela Rani, parents of students studying at Bashundhara Shuvosangho School in Jaldhaka upazila of Nilphamari.
They further explained, “We never imagined there would be such an institution in such a remote area. We’ve heard that there are 20 Bashundhara Shuvosangho schools across the country and our school is the 5th campus, located at Charani village under Golmunda Union of the upazila.
The teachers of the school place great emphasis on the value of time and in addition, they engage students with stories, rhymes, songs and recitations to draw their attention to the school and make learning more enjoyable, they said.
The teachers call students up to the front to present these rhymes and songs, which helps reduce their shyness and build confidence.
Students like Abu Raihan, Mariam Begum and Sroti Rani of the school said, “We are students of Bashundhara Shuvosangho School, 5th campus. We listen carefully to everything the teachers teach us with dedication. This helps us learn what is taught in class and we don't need to attend private tutoring. There is discipline here, which is why many of us arrive before the class starts.”
“However, we don’t have a toilet at our school. We often have to go behind low-lying fields, near the river, or into the bush to relieve ourselves. It would be much better if we had a toilet at our school,” they said.
Teachers Ayesha Siddika and Iti Banu said, “We prioritise both time and the students. Currently, we are teaching up to the third grade, but we will gradually expand to include up to fifth grade. The Bashundhara Shuvosangho Foundation covers all expenses of the school.”
Mohammad Mamun, senior officer (Coordinator) of the Bashundhara Foundation, said, “Today, I visited the institution located on a river bank. The people who selected the location have truly done a commendable job. I will inform my superiors about the need for further development of the institution,” he added.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
