Academic activities at Ronosthal Joyenuddin Memorial Government Primary School in Savar are being disrupted as only two teachers have to attend 112 students in six classes every day.

The school had 160 students last year but guardians of 48 students got their kids admitted to other institutions due to the teacher shortage.

The school was established at Ronosthal village, a rural area 15 kilometers south of the upazila headquarters, in 2012- 2013 fiscal year under the project of establishing 1,500 new primary schools in villages without school.

The Directorate of Primary Education implemented the project through Local Government and Engineering Department to establish child-friendly learning centers in char/haor/baor/hill and other remote areas.

The school started on January, 2014 with 132 students. Two assistant teachers from other schools were brought on deputation who are now conducting all activities of the school.

The school is being ran in two shifts from 9:00am till 4:00pm and the teachers always have to conduct two classes at a time.

Many times, only Gita Rany Shorker remains for conducting classes as Ajoy Kumar Shorker has to look after the official works.

“It is not possible for only two of us to run all classes in two shifts,” said Ajoy.

Gita said, “We cannot give proper attention to all our students as most of the time I have to run two classes in one period of 45 minutes.”

About the situation, Sifat Rahman, a fourth grader, said it is disappointing but the teachers always try their best to teach them properly.

Guardians of several students urged the authorities concerned to appoint more teachers.

Shahjahan Mollik, president of the school, said the upazila education officials, in response to his repeated requests for appointing teachers, told him that it would take time.

Upazila Primary Education Officer in Savar Tabshira Islam Liza said she had recently written to the district primary education official in this regard. 

Two other schools like this were established in the upazila. But one of those already got four teachers appointed, said Tabshira Islam.