SYLHET, July 05: Three government-run high schools in Sunamganj district have been suffering from acute shortage of teachers for long.
Swarup Chandra High School, established in 1926 in Jogonnathpur upazila headquarters was nationalised in 1987.
But the teacher shortage was never resolved since then.
The problem has become more serious as many teachers in the meantime went on retirement, sources said.
The school has three teachers for 340 students against the total sanctioned posts 10.
The posts of headmaster, assistant headmaster and those of Bangla, English, Science, Religious Study and Agriculture have long been lying vacant.
The posts of one office assistant and two support staff have also been lying vacant while locals managed five contract teachers to manage things with subscription from students and others.
Besides, there are 323 students at Jogonnathpur Girls High School, which was established in 1979 and was nationalised in 1986.
Only three, including the headmaster are at work here against nine sanctioned posts.
The vacant ones include assistant headmaster and subject teachers for Bangla, Mathematics, Physics, Religion, Agriculture and Social Science.
The locals have engaged four part-time teachers just for keeping the school running while the posts of office assistant and the class four employees have also been lying vacant for long.
Established in 1950, Tahirpur High School was nationalised in 1987.
It has 700 students while only five are at work against 11, including that of the headmaster.
The vacant posts are of Bangla, Mathematics, Religious Study, Social Science and General Science.
The post of office assistant and other employee employee are also vacant while locals arranged four contract teachers for somehow managing the classes.
Headmaster Mainul Islam said students are the worst sufferers as contract teachers are also not available easily at this remote upazila. Besides, a mathematics teacher was transferred recently without replacement.
District Education Officer Md Jahangir Alam said the higher authority is aware of the situation.
"We have informed the authority concerned for appointing some teachers immediately", he added.
Our correspondent from Sirajganj adds: Many cracks have developed in the walls and ceilings of an old and dilapidated schoolhouse, built in 1926 in Tarash upazila of the district.
Some 249 students of Choura Government Primary School attend classes regularly amid risk of accident.
The school has three separate buildings.
All are in same condition. With plasters fallen off at places, the exposed rods have rusted.
Four teachers conduct classes.
Headmaster of the school Abdul Karim said higher authorities have been informed about the present condition of the school building but no response came yet.
Meanwhile, the dust of the ceiling and wall is being serious problem for the minor students. The crack is developing gradually during the rainy season.
One Anwarul Islam of the area said authority concerned should take immediate steps to repair the school.