Chayan Baisnab Tripura, 8, a class three student of Ramgarh Model Government High School, speaks of finding fulfilment in school. Also says he enjoys going to school regularly.
Students reported to receive free text books, stipend etc. Activities such as these result in proper regularity of students in schools across the region. “We even receive mid-day meal every day,” said Anika Tripura, a nine-year old class four student of Belcharipara Govt Primary School.
Apart from this, development of communication system, development of school infrastructure, free book distribution, launching of stipend, school based development plan, attractive lessoning and cordial intensive supervision by the teachers encouraged the hilly areas students toward the school.
"The enrollment of students at primary level is rising at the hilly areas along with the plain land," said Upazila Education Officer (In charge) of Ramgarh Upazila M Abdul Hannan Patwary. The growth rate of children education is significant, he added.
In 2015, the total number of surveyed students in Ramgarh upazila was 9,408 while the number of enrollment in primary education was 9,373.
In 2016, the total surveyed student was 9,469 while enrollment in primary education was 9,430. In 2017, the number of surveyed students was 10,027 while enrollment in primary education was 10,005.
The school based planning designed by the present government is increasing the enrollment of students in primary education, said the official. The development initiative has also helped decline the number of drop out in primary education, he added.
Only few years ago, the children usually passed their time in remote forests, household works, grazing cattle, instead of school, but now they are going to school in group alike the children living in the plain land, reports BSS.
In addition to this, earlier, poverty, undeveloped roads, inadequacy of school and teachers, unawareness, superstition, negligence and lack of favourable environment were the main reason of little enrollment of children in hilly region, he highlighted.
"The present government has been successful in nationalising such huge primary schools," said Head Master of Chotto Kedhachara govt primary school in Ramgarh Lalit Kishor Tripura.
Arrangement of separate room for pre-primary education, separate teacher, distribution of child education items, allocation of Tk 40,000 every year for school refurbishment, creation of flower garden, installation of monument for martyred, stipend for students, text book distribution have been a major turnaround for education, Tripura added.
Government is also providing Tk 50,000 to 1,50,000 in every three years for repairing or maintenance of a primary school, he added.
"If the teachers' vacant posts could be fulfilled with the meritorious, along with ensuring transparency and accountability it would be possible to further develop overall situation of the primary education in hilly areas,"said M Abdul Hannan Patwary.
