shawkat alam siddiqui editors khondaker m. asaduzzaman director general directorate of primary...

AuthorShawkat Alam Siddiqui

EditorsKhondaker M. AsaduzzamanDirector GeneralDirectorate of Primary EducationMirpur, Section 2, Dhaka 1216

A. S. Shameem AhmedJoint Program DirectorSecond Primary Education Development Program

Kabedul IslamDeputy Director (Training)Directorate of Primary Education

Md. Tofazzal Hossain MiaDeputy Director (PMU)Second Primary Education Development Program

Layout of english versionMaascom

PhotographyM. Mominul Huq / Mahbubur RahmanExpressions Limited

PublicationDirectorate of Primary EducationMirpur, Section 2, Dhaka 1216

Date of publicationJune 2007

ii PEDP-2 Our School Our Joy

Ayub QuadriAdviser

Ministry of EducationMinistry of Primary & Mass Education

Ministry of Cultural AffairsPeople’s Republic of Bangladesh

Message

I am pleased to learn that the Directorate of Primary Education hastaken an initiative to publish an English version of the booklet titled‘Our School, Our Joy’ highlighting the success of twelve of the bestprimary schools of our country. I welcome this venture and extendmy heartfelt greetings and congratulations to the teachers,students and all others associated with these schools. I hope thesuccess stories of these schools will set good examples for othersto follow.

The Government of Bangladesh is committed to quality educationfor all children. We are now implementing a program of about Taka50 billion for the development of this sub-sector to ensure primaryeducation for all. We have already succeeded in increasing theadmission rates at primary schools and establishing parity amongthe male and female students. Thus one of the main componentsof the United Nations Millennium Development Goals has beenmet. The combined efforts of the people at the grassroots level, theSchool Managing Committees, guardians, teachers and studentshave resulted in considerable improvement in the primaryeducation sub-sector. Various non-government and local-levelinitiatives alongside the government programmes are also playinga vital role in developing primary education in Bangladesh. Ibelieve the success of these twelve primary schools will inspireand motivate all other educational institutions of the country.

I wish the publication of the English version of ‘Our School, OurJoy’ Success.

Ayub Quadri

iiiOur School Our Joy PEDP-2

PEDP-2 Our School Our Joyiv

M Musharraf Hossain BhuiyanSecretary In-chargeMinistry of Education

Ministry of Primary & Mass EducationGovernment of the

People’s Republic of of Bangladesh

Message

Education brings dignity and makes life meaningful. It enricheshumankind in many dimensions. Through education, people notonly become literate, they also achieve an elevated social status,tremendous enlightenment and a feeling of fulfillment. In otherwords, human beings gain new lives through education. It is onlywith the aid of education theat the human self can truly manifestitself in harmony with the needs of the society.

If we look at the history of educational development in this country,we would find that the general public has played a major role inestablishing and maintenance of educational institutions, be it tols,maktabs, madrasahs pathshalas or primary schools. They havedemonstrated that the educational institutions are the hearts of adeveloping society. When the link between the community and theeducational institution is lost, its very existence becomesendangered. If the Managing Committee, the teachers and theparents do the duties the are entrusted in the success stories of thetwelve schools, which have been narrated in the booklet titled ‘OurSchool, Our Joy’.

The twelve schools that have found places in this booklet are thepioneer institutions in their respective catchment areas for thef o rmal education of the local children. Although the aregovernment schools, it is evident the they are not solely dependenton government help. Each of these school has been established bythe local people and the active community participation is the keyto the success of these schools. The existing conflict of opinionswithing the society could not hamper the development of theseschools. The leaders of these communities realized the educationwas indispensable for a society to move forward.

vOur School Our Joy PEDP-2

The original booklet containing the success stories of the twelveschools was written in Bangla. Now its translation into English isdefinitely praiseworthy since it will facilitate wider dissemination,particularly among our development partners. I congratulate theDirectorate of Primary Education on taking this timely initiative. Ifthe managing Committees and communities of the schools whichare lagging behind are inspired to improve the quality of theirrespective schools by following the examples of these schools, thispublication will probably attain its ultimate objective

M Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan

vi PEDP-2 Our School Our Joy

Our School Our Joy PEDP-2 vii

Khondaker M. AsaduzzamanDirector General

Directorate of Primary EducationMinistry of Primary and Mass Education

Dhaka

Message

Education plays a central role in the development of humanresources. And primary education is the first step along the path ofeducation. The government has there f o re given the highestpriority to the development of primary education by makingquality primary education available for everyone. Various projectsand programs such as the Second Primary EducationDevelopment Program have been undertaken in order to developthe quality of primary education.

In order to achieve success and desired quality in the field ofprimary education, the welcome combination of efforts of thegovernment and the communities is essential. The brilliant beamsof primary education can only be kept alive through thededication, efforts and awareness of the people of all classes of thesociety. Raising public awareness of the importance of primaryeducation and encouraging public participation alongside thededication and sincerity of the officials, teachers and instructors atvarious levels who are associated with primary education play amajor role in achieving quality primary education. Especially, allnoble initiatives taken by Managing Committees are extremelyhelpful to the development of the primary education system. Inthis regard, the active support and enthusiastic participation ofguardians, pro-education civil society, voluntary organizationsalong with people from all walks of life, and the voluntary supportof the rich members of the community and guardians toward thechildren are recognized as significant contributions. A number ofcases exemplifying such local efforts have been portrayed upon inthe booklet ‘Our School, Our Joy’.

I hope that the success stories illustrated in this booklet will serveas examples to be followed for the desired development of allprimary schools in the country.

Khondaker M. Asaduzzaman

1 Adarsha Model Government Primary School 1Khulna Sadar, Khulna

2 Baliadanga Government Primary School 5Jessore Sadar, Jessore

3 Batikamara Government Primary School 8Kumarkhali, Kushtia

4 South Mulatola Model Government Primary School 12Rangpur Sadar, Rangpur

5 Kamargaon Model Government Primary School 15Narsingdi Sadar, Narsingdi

6 Khanpur Government Primary School 20Dinajpur Sadar, Dinajpur

7 Majhgram Government Primary School 24Singra, Natore

8 Mirgarh Government Primary School 28Panchagarh Sadar, Panchagarh

9 Madhupur Model Government Primary School 32Madhupur, Tangail

10 Maona J M Government Primary School 35Sripur, Gazipur

11 Palpur Government Primary School 40Godagari, Rajshahi

12 Shiromani Government Primary School 45Phultala, Khulna

Adarsha Model Government Primary SchoolKhulna Sadar

The school was established inthe year 1965 in the slum area ofthe No. 7 steamer dock of thecity of Khulna with the initiativeof Alhaj Abul Kashem Sardar.Later, the school was relocatedfrom the slums to another area;u l t i m a t e l y, it was locatedpermanently at a planned spotin the C&B Govern m e n tResidential Area. The schoolconsists of a three-storied housebuilt with the aid of governmentfunding and an old building,covering a large area of land.

Mohammad Mokhlesur Rahman joined the school as its HeadTeacher in the year 1969, and he is working as the Head Teacher tothis day. His able leadership and enthusiastic role earned theschool rapid fame, and it was soon declared a model school. As amodel school it got the privilege of having the Thana ResourceCentre built on its grounds.

A baby class has been opened inthis school with the initiativestaken by the School ManagingCommittee and local guardians.All expenses incurred for therunning of the baby class areborne by the School ManagingCommittee. Because of thep resence of the baby class,mothers get the opportunity toclosely observe the activities ofthe school from the verybeginning, and they choose toe n roll their children in this

school after baby class. The school is situated within the Khulnametropolitan city, and guardians of well-off families prefer to enroll

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School situated at the planned location in the C&B Government Residential Area

Teacher teaching in the baby class

1Our School Our Joy PEDP-2

their children in English medium schools or in high schools withattached primary sections. Nevertheless, this school has managedto attract the attention of the local community owing to its highstandard of education. An aware guardian mentioned that hee n rolled his son into this school transferring him from ak i n d e rg a rten. He argued that English was taught in primaryschools too, and if the teacher teaches the subject properly, it willbe enough to let a child gain enough proficiency in English as asecond language under this curriculum as well. He believes thatchildren should be sent to Government Primary Schools as itscurriculum has been designed while keeping the age, capabilitiesand psychology of children in mind. However, he also believes thatthe teachers of primary schools should be sufficiently responsibleand sincere.

Many other aware guard i a n slike him often visit this school.

A total of 411 students study inclasses from Standard I toStandard V of this school. Theiraverage attendance rates arehighly satisfactory, and thedropout rates are almost zero.However, once the students arepromoted to Standard III, manyof them migrate to the adjacenthigh school. According to theteachers, since many of the

brilliant students leave at this stage, it creates a temporary void.However, they also stated that the intellectual growth of childrendoes in no way remain halted during Standard III to Standard V. So,the remaining students are taught adequately, and many of themmanage to do well in the final scholarship examination of StandardV. The quality of the education of this school is very high becauseof the dedication of the self-motivated teachers. Currently, a totalof 10 teachers are employed at this school. They are all experi-enced, well-trained, sincere and hardworking. They have takenteaching as a vow and a way of life rather than just a profession.Sufficient amounts of teaching materials are available at theschool, and they are utilized properly. The rich library of the schooland its use demonstrated the interest of students in reading books.

The attendance of students is regular, probably because the schoolis situated in an urban area. If there are exceptions, the teachers

2 PEDP-2 Our School Our Joy

Self-confident and determined crew of teachers

and the Managing Committee work together to take the necessarysteps. The majority of the children in the catchment area areenrolled into this school. The school is in a more advantageousposition because it has a baby class. After talking to the teachers

and observing their methods ofmaintaining perf o rm a n c ere c o rds, it can be easilyunderstood how serious theteachers are about theirprofession. Apart from the threesemester examinations whichare held every year according too fficial instructions, teachersalso take fortnightly andmonthly examinations. Thequality of the examinations andthe marks obtained by thestudents are closely monitored,and necessary steps are taken

based on the results. Special importance is given to thecooperation of the families of the children in order to give them achance to study. The Head Teacher and class teachers engage inregular communication and mandatory conversation with themothers of the students to facilitate this. In ‘mothers’ meet’ matterslike this can be freely discussed with the mothers of the pupils. Theschool administration considers all suggestions made by themothers with due importance.

Many students who passed from this school have becomeestablished in the society. Among them are many doctors,engineers, magistrates, teachers of government colleges, assistantjudges etc.

A school does not consist only of students and teachers. It isactually a social institution. An educational institution is made upof people from different walks of society and various socialelements. Also, an educational institution cannot achieve qualityonly by following the laws and regulations of the state. The factorof social involvement is also a vital one. An ideal school canbecome successful only through a combination of these factors.From past experiences it has been seen that close relationshipsbetween teachers and students, steadfast professionalism of theteachers, leadership of the Head Teacher, cooperation of thesociety and the nation, and, above all, human values and various


Children taking an examination in the baby class

other elements combine to establish the foundation of a successfulschool. Maybe the Adarsha Model Government Primary School ofthe city of Khulna is lacking some of these elements, and it mayeven be incomplete in some ways, but all the people of all socialclasses who are associated with the school share a strong will tomake things better. This dedication towards bringing aboutpositive changes is very helpful when it comes to achieving desiredsuccess. Needless to say, whatever has been achieved by theschool till now has been composed of a number of essentialelements. The support of the administration, the interest of thecommunity, the leadership of the Head Teacher, the dedication ofthe teachers — everything is there; which is why everyone wantsto visit the school and look for the key to its successes.


Baliadanga Government Primary SchoolJessore Sadar

It looks just like a lovely forestright in the middle of a city, fullof many diff e rent species oft rees. Through this land ofw o n d e rful natural beautycrafted by the hands of man,children roam freely. To the rightof the large playground is a tinshed building. Right up ahead isbuilding no. 2, which contains atotal of 6 rooms, including theroom of the Head Teacher andthree classrooms. Judging by the manner in which teachers enterthe organized and neat room of the Head Teacher and engage infriendly discussions show that one basic principle is followed inthis school — ‘United we stand.’ Baliadanga Government School islocated near the residences of many busy working-class peoplebeside BSCIC in the city of Jessore. The school was firstestablished in the year 1922 in a small hut.

The local Member of Parliamentnominated in the female quotaand the student who once stoodfirst in the Jessore Board ,Nazma, was a student of thisschool. Salma, who secured aplace in the merit list in the year1980, is a teacher of this school.Many students of this schoolhave excelled in many differentfields numerous times. Thispride of the school was notachieved overnight. The

cooperation of the community and the sincere efforts of themembers of the Managing Committee together made the schoolreach its current position.

Even though the school is neighbour to three kindergartens and aRifles school, it still has a total of about 1200 pupils. It has 13


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The large playground of the school, bordered by beautiful woodlands

Salma, an ex-student of the school, is nowteaching there as a teacher

teachers and 3 volunteer teachers employed under the financialsupport of the Managing Committee. The number of poor childrenand children from working-class families is relatively higher in thisschool. However, its progress has not been hampered. The schoolis undergoing constant development, thanks to the combinedefforts of the teachers, students and the community. Managing aschool consisting of 22 sections from the baby class to Standard V,spread over 15 classrooms in 3 buildings is indeed a matter worthyof appreciation. It should be noted that the baby class is operatedunder the personal initiative of the teachers and members of theManaging Committee. For classes Standard III to Standard V,classes are held from 9:15 AM to 4:15 PM. Students of this schoolsecure scholarships every year. The dropout rate of the school isonly 0.43%.

The declaration by the SchoolManaging Committee chairper-son that gold medals would beawarded to students who securetalent pool scholarships hasi n s p i red many students,teachers and guardians.

The deficiency of teachingmaterials has been more thanmade up for by the well-o rganized application of thetraining received by the

teachers, and they have managed to create a suitable learningenvironment for the students. All students must attend schoolregularly, sit for all examinations, and participate actively instudies. These are constantly monitored by teachers. Theyregularly discuss the progress of students with their guardians.

The school is not behind in terms of sports and entertainment,either. It received the national award for the long jump event in theyear 2005, which is one of its most notable successes. The libraryof the school houses almost 1200 books. These include storybooks,biographies, books on the environment and the ‘Meena’ serieswhich is the most popular among the children. However, amongmany good things one of the most striking features of the school isthe fact that teachers also wear school uniforms along with thestudents. The school has three arsenic-free tube-wells and eightneat and clean latrines. These allow the students to learn in a cleanand organized environment. The Managing Committee have alsoemployed a janitor with their own financial support.


Students borrowing books they like from the library

The chairperson of the SchoolManaging Committee is aretired high-ranking banker. Theschool is almost like a secondhome to him. He is present atthe school almost every d a yduring class hours. He discussesall sorts of matters with theHead Teacher and the otherteachers ranging from theeducational process to thewelfare of the school itself. Heplays a leading role in all developmental matters of the school. Heconducts Managing Committee meetings regularly and activelyorganizes courtyard meetings, home visits, sessions of progressevaluation according to the plans of the school despite being abusy man himself.

Famous educationalist and social worker Professor Nazma Begumis one of the patrons of the school. She is highly interested in allaspects of the school including its development and the studies ofthe children. Although the number of teachers is inadequatecompared to the number of students, its quality of education isvery high. The able leadership and strict discipline of the HeadTeacher has earned this school much fame in the district.Baliadanga Primary School is a living proof of the fact that a schoolcan progress forward against all odds under proper leadership andwith friendly cooperation with each other.


‘Mothers’ meet’ in progress

Batikamara GovernmentPrimary SchoolKumarkhali, Kushtia

Kumarkhali is an industrially and commercially rich upazilla in thedistrict of Kushtia. The air of Kumarkhali always resounds with thenoise from numerous factories and workshops of many differenttypes. But when the voices of young children singing ‘Aay chheleraaay meyera, phul tulite jai’ or ‘Amar sonar Bangla ami tomaaybhalobasi’ can be heard over the din of the factories, it bringsdelight to the hearts of passers-by, who stop and look around forthe source of the chorus. The source of these voices is theBatikamara Government Primary School in the upazilla ofKumarkhali. This ideal educational institute stands in the coolshade of rows of tall mahogany trees. This school is a realization ofthe dreams of the community. It is a living embodiment of thehistory of development of education in the area.

The school plays a verysignificant role in raisingawareness of education amongthe members of the community.It is a wonderful example of thefact that a backward andignorant community can bet u rned to education thro u g hp roper planning, commitmentand sincerity. Mr. M. Abu Zafar,the Head Teacher of the school,reaffirmed, ‘Strict discipline, ahealthy learning enviro n m e n t ,

good results and encouraging proper character development haveearned the school remarkable popularity in the locality.’

Mr. M. Abu Zafar is an expert administrator and a strict follower ofdiscipline. Because of his punctuality, leadership, eff o rts anddedication, the school is making even greater progress day by day.His teaching crew, consisting of 7 teachers (5 of whom are women),are whole-heartedly dedicated to educating the pupils of theschool. The lesson plans for diff e rent classes are developedthrough regular united efforts. A total of 306 students currentlyattend this school. There are 92 children in Standard I, 84 inStandard II, 55 in Standard III, 34 in Standard IV and 41 in Standard


3

These children will someday overcome allobstacles and march forward

V. They are taught according tolesson plans prepared under thedirect supervision of the HeadTe a c h e r. He often visits theclassrooms and supervises theteaching process. This not onlyincreases the awareness of theteachers, but also benefits thestudents. The teachers speciallyencourage teamwork and grouppresentations by the students.This inspires the spirit of healthycompetition among the students. The passing rates of students inthis school is almost 80%. The better students are inspired to helpthe children who lag behind, creating a feeling of cooperation andfriendship among the pupils. The students of this schoolparticipate in the scholarship examinations every year, and theirpassing rates are above 80%. In the year 2004, one student fromthis school secured a scholarship in the talent pool.

Regular attendance is essential for proper studies. Specialmeasures have been taken in order to ensure regular attendance ofstudents. Among them, raising the awareness of guardians, homevisits by teachers etc. are notable. The most exceptional ande ffective step which has been taken in this re g a rd is theparticipation of cub scouts. Their duty is to check up on the absentstudents. As a result of the introduction of these measures, studentattendance of this school is almost 90% at present.

Apart from studies, the school also focuses on various culturalactivities and sports. Students regularly engage in sports in thehuge playground in front of the school. Cultural functions are alsoheld weekly. Students sing, dance and recite poems regularly atthese functions. The teachers and students of this school aregreatly interested in the animation film ‘Meena’, which has taughtthem about things like cleanliness, going to school and usinghygienic latrines.

The school, which was established in the year 1921, now consistsof two single-storied brick-built houses and one tin shed. There area total of seven classrooms, one teachers’ room and one room forstoring teaching material. The sanitation facilities of this school areexcellent. There are four separate hygienic latrines for the studentsand the teachers. There are also 2 tube wells to provide drinkingwater. The school stands on a piece of land with an area of 2.66acres.


Students of the school engaged in games

The school has an eff e c t i v eManaging Committee headedby the brave freedom fighterand educationalist DwinMohammad Biswas. Thiscommittee plays a major rolebehind the success of thisschool. The committee is intenton developing the quality of theschool in all respects with thehelp of the community.P u rchase of furn i t u re, various

infrastructural repairs, helping to arrange various annual functionsetc. are notable among the activities of the committee. It alsoencourages the teachers and keeps track of their activities, andthus helps to increase the quality of the education provided at theschool.

An annual work plan is preparedat the beginning of every yearunder the supervision of theManaging Committee. Theseinclude activities such as theadmission of new students,annual sports competitions,milad-mahfils, tre e - p l a n t i n g ,increasing quality of education,picnics etc. When these plansshall be executed, who shall beworking on them, how will theybe financed — all these areincorporated into an overall plan. The Managing Committee alsoaids in the annual medical checkup of the students.

Arranging regular ‘mothers’ meets’ is a notable feature of thisschool. A large number of mothers enthusiastically participate inthese meetings. The educational pro g ress of students andsuggestions re g a rding their health are discussed at thesemeetings. Through these meets, a wonderful relationship developsbetween the teachers and the guardians.

The current Head Teacher Mr. M. Abu Zafar has been serving as theHead Teacher of this school since the year 2002. Prior to that, hehad served as an assistant teacher at this school from 1972 to 1979.After joining as the Head Te a c h e r, he focused primarily onimproving the quality of students and establishing discipline. For


Hygienic sanitation facilities of the school

Formulation of the annual work plan inprogress at the beginning of the year

example, if any student orteacher arrives at school after9:30 AM, he or she is marked asabsent for that day. He has beensuccessfully directing theoverall activities of the school byestablishing such strict rules ofdiscipline.

He has introduced the system ofweekly examinations forevaluation of the students in thisschool.

The teachers of this school aredutiful and dedicated. They always try their best to direct the youngstudents along the right path.

Their attitude toward the students is very friendly, and they oftenengage in sports with the students in the playground. Their activep a rticipation in cultural activities, especially in singing anddancing, inspires the students.

The Batikamara Government Primary School is a brilliant exampleof how a school can flourish with a proper combination of fourfactors: the able leadership of the Head Teacher, the expertise oftrained teachers, the efficient role played by the ManagingCommittee and the cooperation of the community.


Suggestions regarding the progress ofstudents and their health being provided at a ‘mothers’ meet’

South Mulatola Model Government Primary SchoolRangpur Sadar

History is a vast canvas which embodies the passage of time.Events take place all the time, but not all of them are mentioned inthe pages of history. However, some people work as silent catalystsof history for the betterment of mankind. They are the forcesresponsible for the creation of history. Most of the people living inthe South Mulatola region of the Rangpur municipal area are poor.These poor working-class parents were financially incapable ofeducating their children. The children had to be sent to schools inthe cities if they were to study. These parents could not afford tosend their children to distant schools. The then MunicipalCommissioner, the late Mansur Ahmed came forward to free thecommunity from this burden of helplessness. Along with his three

comrades, Mr. Abul Maqsud, thelate Mr. Shamsul Haque and Mr.Abdul Haque, they purchased 7decimals of land in themunicipal area, and got 26decimals of khas land registeredin the name of the SouthMulatola Primary School withthe support of the DeputyCommissioner. Thus a primaryschool was established in thea rea. This happened in 1970.

The activities of the school started in a rundown tin shed andfurniture purchased with the financial support of the communityand themselves. A teacher was found and employed for a salary ofTaka 50. The number of students in the school was 10. Time did notstand still, nor did the activities of the school. After operating for 5years, the school was acquired by the government.

Over time this very school emerged as today’s Model School ofRangpur Sadar thana. The Upazilla Resource Center has beenestablished in the school grounds.

The helping hands of the local community are still extended to theschool. The School Managing Committee is prepared to provide alltypes of support including financial backing if re q u i red. Thecommittee regularly arranges meetings, implements annual plans,


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The Head Teacher at a ‘mothers’ meet’

meets the mothers and takessteps to prevent children fromdropping out.

The committee is alwaysengaged in activities like these.The committee also pro v i d e sschool uniforms for poorchildren and financial supportfor lower-class families. A poorfund has been opened for thispurpose. The committee worksin tandem with the teachers in aharmonious environment.

The number of teachers currently employed at this school is 5.They have received all types of long-term and short-term training.The teachers have managed to establish a number of exceptionaland self-motivated teaching techniques based on their training andpersonal experiences. This dedicated effort on the part of theteachers has earned them much acclaim from the community. Theteachers give written exams every month to the students of classes

Standard III to Standard V. Thishelps competitive attitudes todevelop within the childre nre g a rding studies, andgenerates the interest to studyregularly among them. Theteachers can successfullyimplement the methods ofteaching the children in a joyfule n v i ronment, thanks to theirtraining. The pro g ress of thestudents of this school is ratherevident from the results of theirexaminations. On an average,

90% of the children pass the final examination. A student of thisschool secured a talent pool scholarship in 1998. While thestudents do not receive scholarships every year, on an average92% of the children pass successfully.

The students of this school regularly participate in co-curricularactivities at the upazilla level as well as at the school level. Thestudents participate regularly in sports and cultural programs inthe upazilla level and receives prizes in various contests. Allnational days and important festivals are observed at the school.


The Chairman of the Managing Committeegiving out prizes at the annual prize-giving

ceremony of the school

Children being taught in class with the aid ofproper teaching materials in a joyful

environment

The school library contains nearly 1300 books. The children aregreatly interested in reading storybooks. When asked, one childreplied, ‘I love to read storybooks. Stories of Meena are myfavourite.’

The three-storied building of the school contains 8 classrooms aswell as a teachers’ room. The school has 5 separate latrines anddrinking water facilities.

The current number of pupils in the school is 319, among whom156 are girls. 95% of the children in the catchment area enroll in theschool. The dropout rates are almost zero as a result of theconstant efforts of the community and the Managing Committee.The average attendance rate of this school is 88%.

Two former students of this school said that the best aspect of theschool is the friendly and warm environment in which the teachers

teach the students. They areboth preparing for higherstudies. To this date, theyremember the golden timesthey spent in this school, andthey express their heart f e l tgratitude to the teachers of theschool.

Mr. Maqsud, one of the foundersof this school, is curre n t l yleading the ManagingCommittee. The consciousefforts made by him and thecommunity has taken the school

to the respectable position where it is today. The three-storiedbuilding, Resource Centre, playground and fruit orchard are alllocated within an area of 1 bigha in a well-planned manner.

The Head Teacher of this school, Mrs. Hosne Ara is highlyinterested in the overall development of this school. She is highlydiligent about creating a harmonious balance and equality amongher actions. If her innate leadership qualities remain active, it canbe expected that the school will earn more fame over time.

The current position of this school is the result of the combinedefforts of the Parent-Teacher Association, the welfare associationand the Managing Committee. If these combined efforts continue,it can be expected that the school will become an ideal and high-ranking school in the future.


Mr. Maqsud, Chairman of the SchoolManaging Committee

Kamargaon Model Government Primary SchoolNarsingdi Sadar

‘I am having sweets after a long time’, — this is what the destitutemother of a child said, weeping tears of happiness when she wasbeing treated to sweets on the occasion of her child’s success. Thiswoman’s child had secured the talent pool scholarship in StandardV. This was her exclamation of happiness when the Head Teacherof the school was treating her to sweets in celebration of this event.When the Head Teacher was narrating this story, his eyes weretwinkling with tears, but his face was full of determination.

Kamargaon was once just a village, but now it is part of the urbanarea. It is a suburban community which is located along the bankof the Meghna river at the western end of Narsingdi. As we walkalong the narrow winding road, we suddenly come to a halt. Infront of us is a huge iron gate. Looking up, we find our gazes fixedupon a cloud-coloured building. Before us is a vast playground anda long tin shed house to the east. The main building of the schoolcovers two-thirds of the space on the northern side. The path to themain building passes through a flower garden. Trees are plantedalong the entire length of the southern boundary wall. These treesenvelope the school in shade all through the day. All in all, theschool is as beautiful as a picture.

Once upon a time, there were noschools in Kamargaon. Not longago the children of the villagehad to walk to distant schools inthe city. Most children becameengaged in labour or simplyw a n d e red around. Under theinitiative and leadership of thevaliant freedom fighter JowaliCommander of the local‘Commander House’, thecommunity decided that aschool needed to be established. Where there is a will, there is away. At that time, there was a large market for thread in this area.Dealers came here from distant places to purchase thread. At therequest of the villagers, the dealers and traders donated Taka 2 tothe school establishment fund for each bundle of thread they


Assembly of students at the school

5

purchased. Funds were collected and 47 decimals of land wasselected too. Kamargaon Primary School was established in theyear 1973. The activities of the school began with a tin shed hut,bamboo fences, chairs, benches and 4 teachers. The local childrenbegan to attend the school in droves.

The area was mostly home to poverty-stricken working-classpeople. They were full of superstition and lacked in awareness. It isapparent that none of them felt that education is a fundamentalright of children. The people involved in the establishment of thisschool talked to the guardians about education, but did not receivemuch response from them. The school ran, but could not achievemotion. The door-to-door publicity of the teachers proved to bemostly futile. Meanwhile, the school was acquired by thegovernment. The teachers’ means of living were confirmed, but theconditions of the education remained the same. The enthusiasticManaging Committee also gave up trying. The school kept runninglike this. The number of students did not even reach two hundred,and many of them kept dropping out.

In 1993, Mr. Ratan Kumar wasemployed as the Head Teacherof this school. The eventsfollowing his transfer to theschool depict a series of successstories. Ever since joining, as theHead Teacher, Mr. Ratan Kumartried to involve the members ofthe community in variousschool activities. This idealschool of today is a living proofof the fact that he has managedto achieve a lot of success in this

regard. The environment of the school began to develop as thecommunity began to get involved in the activities of the school.The role of the community in supplying furn i t u re, collectingteaching materials, infrastructural development etc. is undeniable.In this re g a rd, Head Teacher Mr. Ratan Kumar says, ‘Theenthusiastic participation of the School Managing Committee andthe School Welfare Committee has turned this school into an idealinstitution. The extensive participation of the guardians, especiallythe mothers, is also highly noteworthy.’

Currently, a total of 548 students (including 317 girls) are studyingin classes Standard I to Standard V in this institution. There are 8teachers to teach them, 7 of whom are women. The school also has


Head Teacher Mr. Ratan Kumar engaged indiscussion with the assistant teachers of

the school

a baby class where 118 children(of 5 to 6 years of age) are beingtaught to study with the aid ofvarious teaching materials. Inorder to teach them, the schoolcommittee has employed twoadditional teachers with its ownfunding. Standard I andStandard II have 3 sections eachand an average of 60 to 65students are studying in eachsection. Standard III to Standard V have 2 sections each, and anaverage of 50 to 60 students study in each of them.

The teaching methods followed in this school are very modern.Each teacher regularly prepares lesson plans for teaching in theclassroom, and the Head Teacher routinely inspects the classroomsduring classes. Every Thursday, the Head Teacher holds a meetingwith other teachers to exchange views and discuss the progress ofstudies, sports, cub activities etc. Examinations are held everyweek in all the classes in order to keep track of the progress of thestudents. This lets the teachers easily identify the weakness of thestudents and give them suitable advice and instructions regardingtheir studies. Because of this, the dropout rates in classes StandardI to Standard V are decreasing day by day. Last year the dropoutrate was 11%, which is 3% less than what it was the year beforethat. The success of the students of this school in differentcompetitive examinations are truly remarkable.

Every year, the students holding

the positions 1st to 5th in eachclass and their mothers aregiven prizes. Besides, the 10students who hold the highestattendance records in each classa re given special prizes, andeach of their mothers are givena sari. The Head Te a c h e rbelieves that this motivates themothers to send their children toschool daily. Three ‘mothers’meets’ are held at this school

every year, and each of these meets are presided at by a mother.The active participation of the mothers has greatly aided thedevelopment of the school.

A female student answering a question asked by the teacher

Pupils studying in class


The participation of the studentsof this school in sports, culturalactivities and social activities ishighly notable. Annual sport scompetitions are held regularly.Besides, inter-class football andcricket competitions are helde v e ry year. The schooladministration arranged for ateacher to receive training onP T-parades and gymnastics,who now regularly helps the

students to practise these activities. Because of this, the schoolmanages to secure the 1st place almost every year in the display ofchildren’s PT-parades and gymnastics held in the district stadium.A number of students selected to participate in singing, dancingand other cultural activities receive training at the NarsingdiShilpakala Academy with the financial support of the SchoolManaging Committee.

The cub squad of the school ise x t remely active. Recently, 56s a n i t a ry latrines have beenconstructed in the neighbouringa reas of the school at theinitiative of the school adminis-tration. The participation of thecubs in these activitiesalongside the members of thecommunity was exemplary. Thechildren learn about leadership,community service and humancooperation from the school.

The teachers always encourage the students to keep themselvesneat and tidy. They regularly make the students aware abouthygiene at gatherings. Special competitions on keeping the schoolenvironment neat and clean are arranged which make the childrenaware of the importance of keeping the environment clean from avery early age.

The infrastructure of the school is also excellent. It consists of atotal of 8 classrooms, 1 Head Teacher’s room and 1 teachers’ com-mon room. There is a playground where the students can engagein sports. The library of the school houses almost Taka 100,000


A ‘mothers’ meet’ in the schoolyard

Students dancing at a cultural function of the school

worth of books, most of whichhave been received thro u g hprivate charity. The enthusiasmand interest on the part of thestudents when it comes to read-ing books is also remarkable.

An active and enthusiasticManaging Committee is presentto run the school. The membersof this committee are respectedmembers of the community.Meetings of the ManagingCommittee are regularly held every month. In the meetings,financial affairs, educational progress and such other matters arediscussed, and initiatives are taken to implement various activitiesaccording to work plans. Also, at the beginning of each year, thecommittee plays a major role in making sure that all the children inthe locality who are old enough to be enrolled in Standard I areadmitted into the school. The Chairman of the School ManagingCommittee Mr. Shahidul Islam said, ‘I am always by the side of theschool. I am honoured to be heading the Managing Committee ofa wonderful school like this. I will do everything possible within mycapacity for the betterment of this school.’ Apart from thiscommittee, there is also a School Welfare Association and aParent-Teacher Association, both of which play steady roles in thedevelopment of the school. The 7-member strong School WelfareAssociation holds its meetings every three months, in which theHead Teacher acts as the member secretary. The notable activitiesof the Welfare Association include distributing school uniformsamong 115 poor children last year, tree-planting movements,payment of scholarship examination fees of poor children etc. Themost remarkable matter, however, is the seamless integration andsynergy which exists between these 3 committees, thanks to thebrilliant organizational skills of Mr. Ratan Kumar, the Head Teacher.

Mr. Ratan Kumar dreams of a primary school where children willsmile, play and learn through entertainment, while surrounded bythe great serenity and beauty of nature.

Latifa Khatun, a mother, uttered what seemed to be words whichwere in all our hearts — ‘I will make my daughter to grow up to bea teacher like the teachers of this school.’

Yes, a visionary and dutiful Head Teacher like Mr. Ratan Kumar isexactly what we need!


A number of smiling female students of this school

Khanpur Government Primary SchoolDinajpur Sadar

To the north of the town of Dinajpur, keeping Ramsagar to the right,past the village of Machhimpur, which is famous for ‘pomegranatelychees’, is the Khanpur Government Primary School. A pavedroad from the city of Dinajpur leads to this school 25 kilometersaway. The school is located in a peaceful rural area. The goldenfields of paddy seem to reach out to the horizon, and these fieldsare punctuated by rows of beautiful lychee and mango orchards.

In the year 1941, during the eraof British colonization, thisschool was established due tothe dedicated efforts and enthu-siasm of the local community.The school building wasconstructed from local materialsand walls of clay. Three educat-ed youths came forw a rd toteach at the school. At thosetimes, schools did not receivegovernment patronization, and

the community always came forward to help out with everything.After a long and eventful time, the school was finally acquired bythe government in the year 1973. No matter how small a school is,the impact its presence has on a community is still very large. Thecommunity realized day by day how significant the establishmentof the school was. Many of the educated members of thecommunity were once students of this school.

Khanpur has been enlightened by education. This is furt h e rexemplified by the minimal dropout rates and 90% averageattendance rates of the students. This sincere awareness of thecommunity of the value of education is truly praiseworthy.

This school has been recognized as an ideal institution of thedistrict. This reputation was not earned overnight. The constantsupport of the community and the School Managing Committee,the leadership and dutifulness of the Head Teacher and the otherteachers, the enthusiasm of the students and the various effectivesteps taken by the administration have helped the school to risewhere it is now. The community views the school as a sign of their


6

The Khanpur School campus, surrounded with greenery

own achievement. They alwaysp rovide their support to theschool, no matter what thecause is. They are prepared togive everything within theirpower for their dear school.

The School ManagingCommittee and the members ofthe local community havec o n s t ructed boundary walls,planted flower beds and provid-ed electric fans and re q u i re dfurniture to every single classroom. The wife of the Chairman ofthe Managing Committee has arranged medical facilities for allstudents once a week at her own initiative. The ManagingCommittee provides school uniforms to poor children every year.There are many more rare instances of the people of Khanpurparticipating in numerous other activities like that. The communityand the committee always have their helping hands extended todeal with the problems regarding the teachers, the students, theinfrastructure of the school or the syllabus followed at the school.

The total number of students inthis school is 378, among whom196, which is more than 50%,are girls. Most of these childrenare from the catchment area ofthe school. The well-decoratedc l a s s rooms and theenvironment of this school arevery much suitable for learning.The average rate of passing,which indicates childre n ’sdedication toward studying, is

95%. The school is also reputed for participating in various types ofco-curricular activities. Students from this school often participatein different sporting and cultural events at the district and upazillalevels. The rates of passing in the primary scholarshipexaminations in 2000, 2001 and 2002 were 81%, 80% and 100%respectively. The number of students who secured scholarships in2000, 2001 and 2002 were 2, 2, and 1 respectively.

The school boasts a rich library. Fairytales, biographies,dictionaries, fantasy stories and all the books of the ‘Meena’ seriescan be found in the library. The students borrow books from the


The Head Teacher engaged in discussion withthe School Managing Committee

Students engaged in sports between lessons

library on their designated days and return them later. When askedwhich books were their favourite, most of the children replied inunison, ‘Meena.’ When asked what about other books, they replied,‘We like them too, but “Meena” is our most favourite.’

A total of 6 teachers, includingthe Head Teacher, are employedat the school. They have allreceived short-term training. Theteachers always try their best toprovide subject-based lessons tothe students. While teaching inthe classroom, they alwaysemploy the latest educationalmethods which they have learntin the training sessions. Theteachers encourage the children

to learn actively working in groups. When asked about thedevelopment of attention and interest of the students, the HeadTeacher said, ‘This is not only due to the teaching of experiencedteachers in the classroom — there are also a number of externalfactors involved. For example, regular observation, evaluation andsteady development of the teaching process, cooperation from themothers, an education-friendly school and classro o menvironment, and constant motivation. This environment of theschool was not formed in a day. The school rose to this positionthrough a series of conflicts and experiences.’ He further added,‘ T h e re is no end to gainingexperience. We are incessantlymoving forw a rd through theprocess of gaining. I believe, ifthe will to progress is kept inmind at all times, the chances tofall behind decrease greatly.’

On the day on which the resultsof the annual examinations arepublished, mothers visit theschool. An evaluation meetingtakes place between the parents,the teachers, the School Managing Committee and the Parent-Teacher Association about the final results of the students. Thestrong and weak points of the students are determined, anddecisions on remedial and developmental measures are taken. Theannual ‘mothers’ meet’ is treated by the local mothers as a sort of


Practical class of science

The Head Teacher at a festive ‘mothers’ meet’

festival. On the day of the meet, the whole school campus isdecorated. The mothers dress in their best garb to attend the meet.Local important people are also present at the school on that day.Discussion and exchange of opinions takes place, and mothersstate their feelings. On that day, open discussion takes place aboutsending children to school regularly, giving them the change tostudy, eating habits of children, discipline and other such matters.All mothers wait eagerly throughout the year to be present at thismeet. This meet has earned quite a fame in this region.

Regarding the meet, one mother said, ‘If we do not attend themeet, how will we know how to bring up our children properly?’ Inthis daylong event, one mother is crowned as the ‘Ideal Mother ofthe Year’.

The greenery-filled natural environment of this school is beautiful.Many types of flowers grow in the flower garden. The schoolbuilding, playground, everything is sparklingly neat and clean. It isa beauty to behold.

The successes of this school are numerous. It was named as the‘Best Educational Institute’ in the district of Dinajpur in the year2002. The School Managing Committee was recognized as the bestin the upazilla in the year 2003. In the year 2004, the Head Teacherof the school (who is not currently posted at this school) wasrecognized as the ‘Best Teacher of the Upazilla’. Their collectivesuccesses have made the community very happy, because theyalso played a role behind these achievements to make their dreamcome true.


Majhgram Government Primary SchoolSingra, Natore

There are some people in our society who have played highlysignificant roles in the spreading of education among the ruralpeople of Bangladesh. However, they often remain behind the

scenes, working silently for thebetterment of mankind. One such personis Babu Ajit Kumar Mukutmani, thefounder of the Majhgram Govern m e n tP r i m a ry School and Chairman of theManaging Committee. This octogenarianis still doing his best to bless the childrenof this poverty-stricken region with thegift of education. He comes to the schoolon every working day of the week, leaningon his walking-stick, to oversee the schoolactivities.

He likes to hear the chorus of childrenstudying. He motivates everyone to dohis/her duties efficiently. All his dreamsa re centered around the Majhgram

Government Primary School. His wish is to establish a system inthis school like that of Rabindranath Tagore’s Shantiniketan –w h e re children re c e i v eeducation joyfully in thepresence of nature. Keeping thisdream in mind, he establishedthe Majhgram Govern m e n tPrimary School in the year 1962on 1.57 acres of land.

The school is located atMajhgram, beside the Natore-Bogra highway under the Singraupazilla in the district of Natore.The shady natural environmentof this school truly provides for a beautiful learning atmosphere.Upon entering the school past the vast green playground, theshade of the trees and the voices of young children are bound tomake anyone feel cheerful. The school consists a two-storied


7

Babu Ajit Kumar Mukutmani,the founder of the school and

Chairman of the ManagingCommittee

Students engaged in assembly before theday’s lessons begin

building and a semi-pucca building built using government grants.Those buildings boast a total of 8 classrooms and 1 teachers’auditorium. The total number of students in this school is 307,including 189 female students. There are 9 teachers to teach thesechildren, 8 of whom are female. All the classes except Standard IVhave 2 sections each. Each section contains 45 to 50 students.

One of the most notable aspects of this school is the attendancerates of its students. Even though it is located in a poor areabogged down by hundreds of problems, the rate of attendance ofchildren in this school is nearly 90%. This is due to the hard work,sincerity and friendliness of the teachers, which have endeared theschool to children and guardians alike. A child said with a smilethat he does not feel well if he does not come to school. He enjoyscoming to school, learning and playing.

The stipends provided by the government also play a very helpfulrole behind the attendance of students. Dropout rates are almostnonexistent (1.45%). The students of this school are well-known fortheir academic achievements. When asked about the re a s o nbehind this, the Head Teacher said, ‘The dedication, hard work andfocus of the teachers along with the enthusiasm of the children hasbeen paying a major role in the academic performance of theschool.’ The passing rate of each class is nearly 80%.

Maintaining such a high passingrate at a school in a poor areaplagued by hundreds ofproblems is truly an amazingsuccess. Students who want top a rticipate in the scholarshipexamination are taught herewith extra care. As a result ofthis, this school achieved a totalof 3 scholar-ships, including 1talent pool, in the Standard Vscholarship examination in theyear 2004. Special methods are also employed to aid propermental development of students. These include PT- p a r a d e s ,cultural activities, arts and crafts etc. The teachers of this schoolencourage the students to participate in such activities. The pupilsof this school are very much interested in singing, dancing,recitation etc. The school boasts a cub squad. The participation ofcubs in events such as preparing the flower garden of the schooland taking care of it, as well as the annual tree-planting movement,


Students participating in cultural activities

is highly praisewort h y. The catchment area of the schoolencompasses 3 villages: Majhgram, Bandar and Ataikula. Almostall the children in the catchment area become enrolled in thisschool. In fact, due to the good reputation of this school, childrenfrom outside the catchment area also come to study here. If a childis absent for more than 3 or 4 days in a row, the teachers payhim/her a visit at his/her a home to find out how he/she is doing.

The role of the School Managing Committee behind thedevelopment of the school is particularly significant. Under theleadership of Babu Ajit Kumar Mukutmani, meetings of the 11-member Managing Committee take place regularly every month.Various problems of the school are discussed. Adequate furnitureis required by the school in order to function properly. Thecommittee tries its best to collect furniture for the school. TheManaging Committee creates a work plan for the school at thebeginning of each year. The overall development of the school isthe main aim of this work plan. The members of the Managing

Committee try their best to dowhatever they can for theb e t t e rment of the school.‘Mothers’ meets’ are arrangedregularly at the school, wherethe teachers make the mothersaware of various issues. Theseinclude advice related tohygiene, cleanliness, intellectualdevelopment of children etc.Mothers also express theiropinions freely.

The advanced teaching techniques make the children interested instudying. The teachers of this school are well-trained, sincere andexperienced. They teach their students using new techniques,employing various methods of proactive teamwork. All theteachers prepare lesson plans prior to going to class. They makethe learning process a fun experience with the aid of theirexperience and well-designed lesson plans. They also encouragethe children to actively participate in class during lessons. Apartfrom textbook-based education, the teachers also emphasize onthe creativity of students. This alleviates the fear of childrenregarding education and helps their creativity to blossom.

A guardian of a student of Standard III of this school stated, ‘Theteachers of this school are very sincere. They care for the students


Students being taught in class under lessonplans designed in the light of experience

as if they are their own children.’ The parent also especiallymentioned the role of Babu Ajit Kumar behind the development ofthe school. A member of the Managing Committee stated that theywere always trying to make the school even better, but they oftenfaced great difficulty with collecting the required funding. Recently,some chairs for the teachers and benches for the students havebeen procured under the supervision of the Managing Committee.

Talking to the students revealed their interest in education. The factthey are learning new things everyday is reflected clearly in theirwords. The students of this school participated in the ‘Meena Fair’held at the district level in 2001, 2002 and 2003, securing the firstplace on each occasion. Books of the ‘Meena’ series are commonfavourites of the students.

Ajit Kumar, the Chairman of the School Managing Committee andfounder of the school, is the heart of this institution. His lovetoward education is great. He believes by heart that a nation cannever prosper or become enlightened without education, which iswhy he has dedicated himself to educating the future generationsof this country.

Want of funds sometimes hindered the development of this school,but the sincerity, dedication and enthusiasm of the teachers,guardians and committee members helped to overcome them andcontinue the school's journey along the path of light, and above all,created an education-friendly school environment. The MajhgramGovernment Primary School exemplifies these facts beautifully.


Mirgarh Government Primary SchoolPanchagarh Sadar

The densely populated but enlightened village of Mirgarh featuresa library and a 100-year old Jaamé Mosque decorated with stones.This is the village where Mirgarh Government Primary School issituated. The district of Panchagarh is located in the northernmostpart of the country. The village of Mirgarh is 5 kilometers to thewest of the Panchagarh district headquarter. A winding pitchedroad bordered on either side by fields of paddy, wheat and maizeleads to the village. According to the locals, Panchagarh consists of

5 ‘garhs’ or moats, one of whichis Mirgarh. Mirgarh High Schoolis located right in front ofMirgarh Primary School. A totalof five trained teachers includ-ing the Head Teacher teach atthe school. Their systematicteaching methods aimed atchildren’s mental developmentaid proper learning process ofthe students. The teachers spareno effort in teaching the childrenwith the aid of new dynamic and

innovative methods – this has greatly helped the children byboosting their ability to retain knowledge and skill, and later applyit in practical situations. Students of this school have beenregularly securing scholarshipssince the year 1998. In the year2002, two students (a boy and agirl) secured talent poolscholarships – this praiseworthyachievement of theirs wasrecognized by the HonourablePrime Minister, from whom theyreceived prizes.

In the year 1870, Mirgarh JuniorMadrasah was established atthe initiative of the communityon 64 decimals of land donated by a local distinguished lady, Ms.B a d run Nessa. Over time, the people of the community

8

A discussion meeting of the School Managing Committee

Students being taught in the classroom


transformed the Mirgarh Junior Madrasah into today’s MirgarhPrimary School. In the days following the partition of India,Mirgarh Primary School was the only educational institution whichwas operational in this region of the country. Earlier, it was underthe Jalpaiguri District Board. An almirah donated to the school bythe District Board during that time still bears witness to the historyof those days. Most of the students of the school live within adistance of two kilometers around the school. Out of the 324students of the school, 190 are female. The school buildingconsists of two tin sheds, containing a total of 10 rooms. Theschool contains two separate latrines and an adequate supply ofdrinking water. Among the 10 rooms, one is the office room, andthe other one is used to store a rich collection of teachingmaterials. The school secured first place in the ‘Meena Fair’ fourtimes in a row, and once in the Teaching Material Fair held at thedistrict level. Proper use ofteaching materials in thec l a s s room is one of theremarkable features of thisschool. The school boasts al i b r a ry containing some 600books. The library containsmany types of books, includings t o rybooks and books of the‘Meena’ series. The childre ntake great interest in re a d i n gbooks. They particularly enjoyreading stories of ‘Meena’.

The members of this community are also very much enthusiasticabout education. As a result of this, all children who are old enoughto go to school are enrolled in the school. Dropout cases are almostnonexistent. The average attendance rate of this school is 98%.Free biscuits are distributed among the students of the school fromthe World Food Programme (WFP). 100% of the students whoparticipate in the annual examinations pass successfully and getpromoted to the next class. The rate of passing the scholarshipexamination is almost 74%. The school provides special coachingto scholarship examinees.

During the last 3 months of the year, subject-wise preparatoryexaminations are held every Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Allthe teachers remain present at the school on these days. Instancesof teachers taking such steps on their own accord are truly rare.Out of the 60 students of Standard V who sat for the upazilla-based


An assistant teacher of the school paying avisit to a student’s home to inquire about his

absence from school

final examination held in 2005,57 passed successfully. Theacademic perf o rmance of theschool is reputed thro u g h o u tthe locality, thanks to thededicated efforts of the teach-ers. Lessons are fully taught inclass according to lesson plans.The students have to regularlysit for fortnightly and monthlywritten examinations. The HeadTeacher visits the homes of thestudents at night to check on

their pro g ress. The relations between the teachers and thestudents is very warm and friendly. The students of this schoolhave been wearing school uniforms during the last 10 years. Theguardians are very much aware of the use of school uniforms, andthey arrange uniforms for their children at the very beginning ofthe year. Students who cannot afford their own uniforms areprovided with those from stipend funds. The Head Teacher greatlypraised the School Managing Committee, the Pare n t - Te a c h e rAssociation and the local community, and said that they are verymuch dedicated to the welfare of the school and are always thereto lend a helping hand during times of trouble. The Chairman of theSchool Managing Committee visits the school daily at least once.He visits the classrooms and observes the progress of the students.The Managing Committee has decided to employ an assistant whowould help with official work. The members of the community arehighly attentive to the school, and they look after the assets of theschool by themselves. They are always by the side of the schoolwhenever needed. The community seems to share an inbornheartfelt link with the 135-year-old school.

The annual sports competition and a cultural function are arrangedby the school every year on 26th March. The celebration of variousimportant days by the school, especially the holding of a 3-daylong ‘Baishakhi Mela’ highlighting the Bangla New Year, are specialattractions for the entire community. The teachers help thestudents to cultivate cultural habits in many ways. The support ofthe teachers in aiding proper intellectual development of thestudents is highly praiseworthy. The magnificent performance ofthe students of the Mirgarh Government Primary School in a yearlyfunction arranged by 5 local primary and secondary schools iswidely acclaimed.


Two female students performing asynchronized dance

Two students of this school who secured talent pool scholarshipssaid, ‘We very much enjoyed studying here. The love and care wegot from our teachers, and the dedication with which they taughtus are truly unforgettable.’ They are now high school students, butthey often visit their old teachers, and consider themselvesfortunate to be in their presence.

Every year, a function is arranged in the school to bid farewell tothe scholarship examinees. All the guardians, especially themothers, members of the Managing Committee and otherdistinguished people of the village remain present at the school onthat day. This joyous seeing-off event is celebrated with pomp andgrandeur. All the examinees are honoured with flower garlands.They ask for every o n e ’s blessings for their success, whicheveryone present heartily gives. Later, a lively procession is heldwith the students who secure scholarships. This event is celebratedthroughout the entire village.

Heritage must be kept alive, otherwise the days of glory areforgotten by the people. The residents of Mirgarh have kept theirheritage alive. There seems to be no end to their expectations fromthe school. The brilliant future emerges from the depths of thepast. And because of the community’s love of their heritage, theschool is marching steadily forward. Its fame is spreading day byday past the borders of the village and into the entire nation.


Madhupur Model GovernmentPrimary SchoolMadhupur, Tangail

Madhupur is an upazilla in the district of Tangail, covered with saland woodland trees. Madhupur Model Government PrimarySchool was first established in 1939 on the bank of the riverBangshai at the initiative of the local people. As it was situatedbeside a river, the school often became affected by floods. Becauseof this, people felt that it was essential to shift the school to someother location. Against this backdrop, two noble gentlemen ofMadhupur, Mr. M. Afaz Uddin Khan and Mr. M. Mamtaz Ali Sarkardonated some land atop a small hillock. The school was shifted tothis new location (which is its current location too) in the year 1962.

Currently, a total of 452 studentsa re enrolled at the school,almost 50% of whom are girls. Atotal of nine well-trained andexperienced teachers, includingfour women, are employed atthe school to teach them. All ofthem teach the students in av e ry constructive way. Theyprepare lesson plans and teachthe students according to thoseplans. They always try to makes u re that children learn the

lessons taught in classes within class hours. In order to ensure this,they provide motivation to the students in many ways. Forexample, they sometimes teach the students by splitting them intogroups and providing them with study guidelines. The groupwhich can present their lessons most nicely and fluently is declaredthe winner. The teacher believes this helps to generate interest instudies among the students. Students are also taught usingsubject-based teaching materials. Thus, a very constructive way ofteaching is known as a major feature of this school. The passingrates of each class in this school are greater than 95%.

Each class has two sections so that the teachers can manage toteach the classes more easily. The average number of students ineach section is 35 to 40. In the scholarship examination held in2004, a total of 19 students received scholarships, 15 of whom


9

Teacher teaching the class how to prepare oral saline

s e c u red talent pool scholar-ships. In the 2003 scholarshipexamination, eight studentsreceived scholarships, includingtwo talent pool ones. The schoolf e a t u res regular subject-wisemonthly tests apart from thet h ree semester examinationsheld according to off i c i a li n s t ructions. This helps theteachers to evaluate thestudents’ pro g ress better andtake necessary measures for individual students. Every Thursday,teachers’ meetings are held under the chairmanship of the HeadTeacher for preparing and discussing work plans. The teachers aretrying very hard to devise a system to make sure that the childrendo not have to study further once they are back home. In order tohelp the students to finish their lessons during class hours, to takespecial care of students, and to provide remedial classes forstudents who are lagging behind, the school also holds classes atnight from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

The funds for paying honourarium to the two teachers who teachon the night shift are entirely arranged by the School ManagingCommittee.

The Managing Committee is always working actively for thedevelopment of the school. With the support of the community,they have always played a vital role behind the development of theschool. They provide financial support to the school during theannual sports competitions, milad-mahfils and observation ofvarious national days. They also assist the school in activities likepurchasing furniture, exchanging views with the guardians, and soon. Al-hajj M. Abul Hossain, the Chairman of the School ManagingCommittee and a former Assistant Headmaster of MadhupurShaheed Memorial High School, said, ‘Only an aware mother canraise an aware child.’ Therefore, at the Mothers’ Meets the mothersa re made aware of various things, among which hygiene,cleanliness, taking care of books, school uniforms and preventionof dropouts are particularly notable. Every year at least threeMothers’ Meets are arranged at the school.

An annual work plan is prepared at the beginning of each yearjointly by the teachers, the Managing Committee and theguardians to ensure smooth running of the operations of theschool. The school is run according to this work plan throughout


The Chairman of the Managing Committee ata “Mothers’ Meet” in the school campus

the year. The role of the HeadTeacher in this re g a rd is ofparticular significance – he is thechief coordinator in the processof implementation of the workplans.

Apart from regular studies, thestudents of the school are alsoencouraged to participate invarious co-curricular activities,s p o rts and cultural activities.

The school has a strong and efficient cub squad composed of itsstudents. The notable activities of the cub squad include plantingvegetables in the schoolyard, gardening, and making thecommunity aware of polio and measles vaccinations. The cubsquad has also earned much acclaim by participating in parades onvarious national days. The participation of the school in culturalfunctions is also notable. The students of this school take part incultural functions on diff e rent occasions. With re g a rd to co-c u rricular activities, the students of this school have beenachieving success regularly in competitions held both at districtand upazilla levels.

The school has two buildings built on 1.24 acres of land. The totalnumber of classrooms is nine. There is also a room for the teachersand another for the Head Teacher. The Head Teacher’s room is alsoused as a library consisting of almost one thousand books, fromwhich the students regularly borrow books for reading.

The teachers of this school are not just the teachers of the students,but are also their friends. They always consider the opinions of thestudents regarding various issues with importance. It may benoted that they also take the opinions of the students into accountwhile preparing the work plans for various functions.

Mr. M. Abul Hossain, the Head Teacher of the school believes thatevery student of the Madhupur Model Government Primary Schoolwill grow up to be an asset for the country. In order to realize thisd ream, he has been working together with the community,teachers, students, parents, members of administration andeverybody else in absolute harmony. There is no looking back –only moving forward. The signs of the Head Teacher’s goodintentions can be felt at the very moment when one enters theschool campus. The school provides an ideal example of theoverall development of the students.


A student performing a dance

Maona J M Government Primary SchoolSripur, Gazipur

Surrounded with sal forests, Maona was a village consisting ofrandomly scattered houses. There were not many roads. A narrowwalking path led to the town of Joydebpur. There were noopportunities for the children to study. The villagers were worriedabout the future of theirchildren. Finally, they all decidedto establish a madrasah. Thus,Maona Junior Madrasah wasestablished.

That was back in the year 1924.But the villagers were notsatisfied with just a madrasah –because they believed that apartfrom religious lessons, primaryeducation was also a necessityin this age. In the year 1951 thevillagers moved the madrasahto another location and established the J. M. Primary School. Now,J. M. Maona is a prospering community named after the primaryschool itself. The community is almost big enough to be a town.The members of the community still remember the efforts of theirforefathers behind the establishment of this school. The school islike their lifeblood. They visit the school every year, every month,during festivals or social events – with or without reasons. Theylook after the school, and provide financial support and advice.

Right after entering through the gate, the vast yard of the schoolcomes into view. The gigantic playground appears to be wrappedin a carpet of grass. The field is bordered by the buildings of thehigh school and the primary school. Gigantic mahogany treesstand in front of each building. In front of the primary schoolbuilding is a flower garden fenced with iron grille. It appears as ifchildren and nature coexist here in perfect harmony.

A total of 912 students study in this school. Each class has three tofour sections. The school also has a baby class with a total of 112learners. Why did the school go through the troubles of openingthe baby class although it was not mandatory? A teacher said,


A teacher moving through the class andobserving progress of the students

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having the baby class is helpfulfor the school. The children arenot given books to read. Theyare given toys. They play as theywish, draw pictures using colourpencils, run around, listen torhymes and then clap theirhands and recite the rh y m e sthemselves. With nobody tostop them, they wander in aworld of infinite happiness.Discipline, however, is stillp resent. Some self-confidentchildren bring their books andl e a rn the alphabet by

themselves. They do not feel afraid of the school. Instead, theybecome greatly interested in studying, and do not drop out. And,most importantly, an unbreakable bond of love is formed betweenthem and the school.

There are more female students than male in the school. 485 of the921 students are female. The students are greatly interested in allactivities – studying, sports, singing, dancing, gardening etc. Theschool is reputed for its academic performance, even thought thereare 60 to 70 students in each section. What is then the reasonbehind the reputation of the school? The dedication, hard work andattention of the teachers; the leadership of the Head Teacher; andthe teaching methods used in class derived from training andexperience all helped the school to earn such a reputation.

Students’ performances are evaluated through written tests thattake place every week, every fortnight and every month. Remediallessons are carefully provided to students who are lagging behind.Mothers regularly visit the school and inquire about the progressof their children, discuss with the teachers, and provide support athome accordingly. The teachers mentioned that the mothers arethe main driving force behind the academic progress of the school.Mothers’ Meets, yard meetings and regular school visits by themothers motivate the teachers and also plays a major role in theproper and adequate mental development of the children. At least30% of the children participate in the scholarship examination, andmost of the talent pool scholarships are secured by the students ofthis school. None of the children score marks below 60%, let alonefail. The teachers hope and believe that someday all the studentsof Standard V will sit for the scholarship exam.


A teacher overseeing the group work of the students

A teacher of the adjacent high school said that two of her sons arestudents of this school. According to her, the greatest success ofthe school is the overall development of the students which hasbeen made possible by the dedication and efforts of the teachers.

The foundations of education of the children are built right here. Asa result of this, all the students who pass from this school doremarkably well later in life. With great respect she mentioned howthe great devotion and hard work of the teachers contribute to theestablishment of the basic foundations of education of thestudents.

The J. M. Government Primary School has a total of 14 teachers,two of whom have been employed by the School ManagingCommittee and the members of the community. The ManagingCommittee is responsible for paying their salaries. They also havethe responsibility of conductingc o - c u rricular activities of thestudents. They coach children tosing, dance, act and engage ins p o rts. The students of thisschool participate in all activitiesat the upazilla, district, divisionand national levels. Theyachieve distinctions of differenttypes every year. This school isone of the best in Sripur int e rms of cultural activities aswell as academic performance.Upon entering the spacious and well-furnished teachers’ room,one will find numerous medals and trophies on display there. Inthe classrooms one can see the faces of smart, hardworking,strong-willed students. They are all equally enthusiastic, and filledwith the passion of healthy competition.

Apart from children from the catchment area of the school,children from far away also come to study at this school. There isa hostel adjacent to the school which houses 45 students. Twoteachers look after these students. The School ManagingCommittee has employed one cook and one peon for the hostel. Itis a responsibility of the students to keep the field and theclassrooms clean and take proper care of the garden. Whilel e a rning materials are usually pre p a red by the teachers,sometimes the students themselves prepare those under thesupervision of the teachers. There is a separate resource room for


Students performing a dance

this purpose. Reading story -books is a special attraction forthe children. Children borro wbooks from the library forreading and return them on thedesignated day. The library ofthe school is smoothly operatedunder the supervision of ateacher.

The Managing Committee andthe members of the communityplay a major role behind the

success of the school,. The Managing Committee gets together intimes of emergency as well as for regular meetings. A lot offurniture is required for almost one thousand students who attendthe school. It is provided by the Managing Committee and thecommunity. The Managing Committee provides school uniforms tothe children from poor families.Also stationery like notebooksand pens are provided toe x t remely poor children. TheManaging Committee preparesa work plan at the verybeginning of the year, and all theactivities of the school takeplace according to those plans.The Managing Committeealways aims to make the schoolbetter and does not hesitate todo anything that would benefitthe school. A School Welfare Association has been formed. Thisassociation always has a helping hand extended toward theManaging Committee.

The current Chairman of the School Welfare Association was theChairman of the Managing Committee last year. He said that thecommunity has many dreams about this school, but their abilitiesare limited. The total amount of land of the school is 2 bighas and10 decimals. More land adjacent to the school has been purchased,and everyone wishes to increase the amount of land to one acre.He also added that there are two tube-wells and four separatelatrines for about a thousand students of this school. This numberis sadly inadequate. He said that measures were being taken to


The School Managing Committee monitoringstudent attendance

A “Mothers’ Meet” in progress in the schoolyard

a d d ress this deficiency. The School We l f a re Associationrelentlessly provides support to the actions of the ManagingCommittee. The SMC Chairman believes that better results couldhave been achieved if lunch could have been provided to thestudents at school. He informed that the current Head Teacher ofthe school joined in the year 1988. His dedicated efforts, sincerityand leadership has greatly helped the school to progress.

The dropout rate of the school is below 5%. However, local childrenusually do not drop out of the school. Due to the transfer of thechildren of workers living abroad, dropouts cannot be completelyprevented. If a child does not come to school for three or four daysin a row, the members of the Managing Committee or the teacherspay visits to his/her home to check up on him/her. Home visits fallunder the regular activities of the teachers. Mothers’ Meets areheld several times a year.

A school is a social organization. A school cannot becomesuccessful without the leading roles played by the families, thesociety, the members of the community, the Managing Committee,the teachers, and above all, the Head Teacher. All the useful factorsare present in the J. M. Maona Government Primary School. Thedesire which inspired the villagers of Maona to establish the schoolin the year 1924 still flows through the hearts of the people ofMaona to this day.


Palpur Government Primary SchoolGodagari, Rajshahi

How exactly is the Palpur Government Primary School? ‘It is awonderful school. The teachers work very hard to teach thestudents properly. They even take classes in the evening. Theschool is very strict about discipline. Simply put, it is an idealschool.’ This is what a certain guardian had to say about thisschool. The school, located in the village of Palpur in the Godagariupazilla under the district of Rajshahi, has already earned areputation as an ideal primary school in its truest sense. Thesincerity of the teachers, the teaching techniques, the cooperationof the community, the overall support of the School ManagingCommittee, and above all, the awareness of the guardians havehelped the school to achieve success in all respects.

Established in the year 1905, thePalpur Government PrimarySchool has been playing a majorrole in spreading of education inthis area over the course of thelast 100 years. The school wasfirst started at the initiative ofthe local zamindar Haji LalMohammad in his off i c ebuilding as a small pathshala.The educational activities werecarried out in this building for a

long time. But in the flood of 1957 the school building wasthoroughly devastated. Since the school had been playing a majorrole in spreading education, the members of the community took aspecial initiative to permanently construct a new school building.But the permanent location of this school became a matter of dis-pute between the villagers of the villages of Palpur and Dharampur.Ultimately, it was decided that the dispute would be settledthrough a round of tug-of-war, and the school would be built in thevillage of the winning side. Palpur village won the tug-of-war. Theschool was then rebuilt at the edge of the village of Palpur.

The great interest of the local people regarding education hashelped greatly to lead the school along the path of success. In thisregard, Mr. Abu Hena Mustafa Kamal, the Head Teacher of the


11

The Head Teacher conducting the assembly

school, said, ‘The sincerity of the teachers and the support of thecommunity has helped the school to progress this far.’

The school is situated on 53 decimals of land. A total of 450students study in this school, 219 of whom are female. There are atotal of 20 teachers. Among them, only five are government-employed, and the other 15 have been employed with the supportof the School Managing Committee and the community. Eight ofthese teachers have been employed for taking the evening classes.Apart from the usual school hours, classes are also held afterevening for the students of Standard III to Standard V. Theseclasses take place from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM. In this regard, the HeadTeacher of the school says, ‘We are not merely fulfilling our dutiesby teaching our students in the classrooms. We want our studentsto be disciplined within a certain set of rules, which is why we havetaken this initiative. In this school, students are taught in theclassroom with great care, and the use of teaching materials ismandatory for every class. It is also mandatory for the teachers toprepare lesson plans and teach in class according to those plans.Apart from the planned lessons, teachers also discuss manyimportant matters in the classroom which play a highly beneficialrole behind the intellectual development of the children. Also,learning lessons in groups is highly encouraged here.

Except for Standard IV, eachclass of the Palpur GovernmentP r i m a ry School has twosections. Each section consistsof 50 to 55 students on anaverage. In addition, a total of111 children are being taught inthe two sections of the babyclass of the school. The HeadTeacher aims to take even betterc a re of the students thro u g hlowering the student-teacherratio by increasing the number of sections in each class. His aim isto decrease the number of students in each section to 35. In orderto increase the efficiency of the teachers employed by theManaging Committee, training sessions are arranged for themoccasionally. In these sessions, they are trained by the HeadTeacher and the other trained teachers. A teachers’ meeting underthe chairmanship of the Head Teacher is held every Thursday inorder to review the activities of the teachers. In these meetings theprogress of teaching activities, improvement of the evaluation


The Assistant Upazilla Education Officerobserving the teaching procedure

process and conducting variousc o - c u rricular activities arediscussed. The Head Te a c h e rhimself also observes theteaching activities of one ormore classes everyday. All theteachers always try their best toi m p rove the quality of theeducation.

The school is run by an effective11-member School ManagingCommittee. This committee,

consisting of a number of distinguished local people, has beenplaying a major role in the overall development of this school. Therole of the committee behind different activities ranging fromdevelopment of the infrastructure of the school to increasing thequality of education in undeniable. The committee was the mainsource of funds during the construction of the school building. Themembers of the committee always keep in touch with the teachersin order to enhance the quality of education. The committee alsoplays an effective part ina d d ressing various types ofp roblems along with helpingwith the evening classes of theschool. A total of 15 non-government teachers have beenemployed at the school at theinitiative of and with fundingf rom the committee. Thesalaries of the two assistants arealso paid by the committee.

In addition to the ManagingCommittee, there is also aSchool Welfare Association. This association plays a major role inactivities such as purchasing furniture for the school, supportingpoor students and providing them with school uniforms. One ofthe most remarkable aspects of this school is its initiative to financeitself instead of depending solely on various grants and aids.

The school administration has taken the initiative to establish anursery and breed fish in ponds. They are hopeful that the schoolwill begin to earn from these projects from this very year. Thesupport of the guardians has also greatly helped to accelerate the


A monthly meeting of the School Managing Committee

The Head Teacher and his colleaguesinspecting the nursery set up by the

students of this school

development of the school. Forexample, a filing cabinet wasp u rchased by the school foro ffice use with the financialsupport from the guardians ofthe students of Standard V inthe year 2005. The guardiansalways encourage the teachersg reatly re g a rding pro p e rteaching. Mothers’ Meets areregularly held at the school,where mothers freely share theirviews about the school. In thesemeets, the school administration also enlightens the mothers onvarious issues, such as the hygiene of children and cleanliness. Theschool administration exchanges opinions on addressing variousproblems with the guardians.

The former students of this school have also played a major rolebehind the development of this school. Curre n t l y, a moderngeographic room is being constructed at the school completelywith the financial support of a former student of the school.

Definite techniques are followed at this school for evaluatingstudents. The progress of the students is monitored throughmonthly tests in addition to the three semester examinations heldaccording to official instructions. The passing rates of each class inthis school is almost 90%. The performance of his school in thescholarship examination of Standard V is satisfactory. In the year

2004, three students of thisschool secured scholarships,including two talent pool ones.The passing rate of thescholarship examination was100%. The dropout rate of theschool in 2005 was only 1.29%.In this school, brilliant studentsare given prizes regularly.

Apart from studies, students arealso encouraged to participatein cultural activities, sports and

cub activities. Regular classes taken by trained teachers arearranged every week aiming to help the students to practisecultural activities. These students perform on various national days


Female students playing cricket in the school playground

Students attending to the school garden

and in cultural functions of the school. The school features a vastplayground, where the students play regularly. The annual sportscompetition is held every year. An artificial zoo, a children’s parkand a geographic room are currently under construction at theschool. These will greatly entertain and educate the children.

The cub squad of the school is highly active. They participate inmany praiseworthy activities, such as gardening and maintainingcleanliness. Teachers mentioned that the cubs are extre m e l yenthusiastic about their duties.

Activities such as debate competitions and publication of wallmagazines are also carried out at the school.

A healthy learning environment is essential to facilitate thedevelopment of the talents of a child; Palpur Government PrimarySchool has managed to successfully create that environment.


Shiromani Government Primary SchoolPhultala, Khulna

The Shiromani Govern m e n tP r i m a ry School is locatedopposite to the market and busstop on the busy Jessore -Khulna highway. The wall of theschool is right next to thefootpath, with a huge iron gateseparating them. The gate isalways closed, but is alwaysopen for everyone associatedwith the school. As one entersthe school, the din coming fromthe noisy market and bus stand fades. The school campus is well-organized, and there is a touch of neatness all over the place whichspeaks of perfect good taste. The gardens, field, building, shadesof the trees – all of them together present an enchanting view.

The school was established inthe year 1951 with the financialaid and support from the localpeople. The school beautifullyexemplifies how much successan educational institution canachieve by virtue of the supportand guidance of the community.The current Head Teacher, Ms.F e rdousi Begum, wast r a n s f e rred to this school in1999. Local community people

were associated with the school even before she joined, a regularManaging Committee was also present, but they did not play theirrole as actively as they do now. Today, the School ManagingCommittee, the Student-Parent-Teacher Association, distinguishedpeople or guardians voluntarily come forward to facilitate thedevelopment of this school. They do not need to be asked for help.Instead, they provide advice and support for the benefit of theschool of their own accord.


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Shiromani Government Primary School

Ferdousi Begum, the Head Teacher of the school

The school has every t h i n gneeded for a healthy learningenvironment – all co-curricularmaterials, a well-stocked library,supply of drinking water,separate latrines, suff i c i e n tnumber of well-decorated cleanc l a s s rooms with adequatefurniture, and a well-furnishedteachers’ room. Each classroomis equipped with electric fans,and the spacious ro o m sthemselves are well-illuminatedand well-ventilated.

For each activity, the Head Teacher operates the school accordingto the respective guidelines. As a result of this, discipline isprevalent in every aspect all over the school. The disciplined andcareful approaches of the Head Teacher are visible in the formationof an education-friendly environment, the teaching methodsemployed in the classroom, acquisition and use of materials,arranging regular written tests for the students, and conductingand demonstrating co-curricular activities. It may be mentionedthat the Head Teacher received the “Best Head Teacher” award inthe Khulna district in 2005.

The total number of students in the school is 249. The school hasquite a reputation because of its excellent academic performance.The Head Teacher engages in discussion with the teachers everyThursday about the teaching pro c e d u res and other matters.Observing the teaching process in the classrooms is part of herdaily routine. She discusses all the matters related to children’seducation in detail with her fellow teachers.

One of the most remarkable aspects of this school is the fact thatthe teachers act as helpful friends when teaching their students.The students are always kept busy and active. They are given thechance to actively participate during class by creating anatmosphere of friendly competition among themselves. The seatsin the classrooms are pre-arranged suitably for group work as wellas individual work. The method employed in arranging the seatsplay an important role in the teaching process in the classrooms.No time is wasted rearranging furniture, and a healthy learningenvironment exists in the classroom – this reflects the advancedthinking of the teachers.


Female students washing their hands withsoap after using toilet

Mothers’ Meets are held every year to let mothers know about theprogress of their children and let them express their opinionsabout the teaching and learning processes. The children oftenmake different types of learning materials by themselves. Theschool is also quite rich in terms of materials. Through regularevaluation and guidance, the students can easily acquire expectedskills and competencies. Remedial lessons are also provided forthe children who are lagging behind.

Students of Standard III to Standard V attend classes from 9:15 AMto 4:15 PM, inclusive of a 30-minute period of recess. The studentssometimes become bored sitting in class for such long periods oftime. Therefore they are granted a special period of leisure in orderto bring back their attention. Students spend some time togetherunder the trees, gossiping to their heart’s content before returningto class once again. The Head Teacher said, ‘The physical andmental fatigue of the children disappear when they get to spendtime on their own in the presence of nature, and this allows themto focus on their lessons once again.’ She added that this methodhas been tested and it has already begun to yield good results.

A large number of kindergartens and the Cantonment PublicSchool is located in the Shiromani area. Most of the children frommiddle-class and upper- c l a s sfamilies study in those schools.The school has to compete withthe other schools in order tos u rvive. Having achievedremarkable success in bothacademic and co-curr i c u l a rfields, the Shiro m a n iG o v e rnment Primary Schoolhas already earned recognitionas an exceptional educationalinstitution in the locality as wellas in the district.

M r. S. M. Entaz Ali, the Chairman of the School ManagingCommittee said, ‘I have been involved with the activities of thisschool for more than a decade. Our combined efforts and will to dogood have helped to bring the school this far. The success whichhas been achieved is everyone’s. There is no end point of success,so we must keep working to develop the school even further.’

All the children of this school are smart, and wear school uniforms.The Managing Committee provides uniforms to children from


The Head Teacher demonstrating to the classthat fire cannot burn without oxygen

families which are too poor to buy uniforms. The teachers andcommittee members work together to prevent absenteeism andd ropping out among children. The members of the SchoolManaging Committee are intent on developing the school evenfurther. They spend their money, time and efforts freely behind this

institution. They create a workplan at the very beginning of theyear by assessing the demands.They invite people from allwalks of life in the community,and not just the people associat-ed with the school, to participatein this planning process. Theydevise the plan together, andthen begin to work on its properimplementation. Success alsocomes in tow with their efforts.

A total of seven female teachers are currently employed at theschool. They do not consider their duties done just by teachinglessons in class. They are equally active in the overall developmentof the students and the development of the school as well.Although they have come from different backgrounds, they allseem to be part of a family at this school. They believe in equaldistribution of resources and sharing. They are all experienced andhave received adequate long-term and short-term training. Theyare always eager to put their knowledge and skill into practice.

In terms of ensuring quality education, the school may beconsidered to be an ideal institution. The performance of thestudents of this school in the final and scholarship examinations atthe upazilla level received much acclaim. To put it simply, theyoung learners of Shiromani Government Primary School ofPhultala, Khulna are not lagging behind in any field – be it singing,dancing, recitation, sports, operating an active cub squad orperforming in PT-parades.


A teacher introducing students to differenttypes of plants

shawkat alam siddiqui editors khondaker m. asaduzzaman director general directorate of primary...

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