Md. Osman Gani , Upazila Correspondent, Chandina || Chandina (Cumilla): A long-standing demand of the residents of Joydebpur, Chhotokala Gaon, and Nischintapur villages under Barera Union in Chandina Upazila of Cumilla has been the establishment of a government primary school. To ensure primary education at the doorsteps of children, locals had voluntarily donated land nearly nine years ago. However, even after a long period, no visible progress has been made in constructing the school, leading to frustration and resentment among the villagers.According to local sources, as part of an initiative to establish government primary schools in villages without any educational institutions, Joydebpur, Chhotokala Gaon, and Nischintapur villages were identified as school-less areas. Following this, the local residents took the necessary initiatives to establish a school.On July 24, 2017, several education enthusiasts including Md. Shahjahan, Sultan Ahmed, and Delwar Hossain—residents of Joydebpur village—donated approximately 33 decimals of land along a local road to the Secretary of the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education. All necessary paperwork for establishing the school was also completed. Yet, despite nearly nine years passing, the construction work for the school has not commenced.Due to the absence of a school, over a hundred students from these three villages have to travel 2 to 3 kilometers every day to attend various distant government primary schools. Navigating unpaved and treacherous rural roads inflicts immense suffering on the children. Parents reported that during the monsoon season especially, muddy roads and adverse weather conditions prevent many students from attending school regularly.According to the parents, sending young children to school on foot over such long distances is extremely difficult. There are also constant concerns regarding their safety. Consequently, besides irregular attendance, the risk of student dropouts is increasing.Professor Md. Shahjahan, a resident of Joydebpur village, said, "Responding to the government's call, we donated land for the establishment of the school. The then-local UP Chairman had also arranged for the designated school site to be filled with soil. We hoped that our children would get the opportunity to study in their own village. But we are deeply disappointed as no school has been built in the last nine years."See also: ‘Overcoming all hurdles, I will return to the country this year’ Sheikh Hasina to NDTV Anwar Hossain, another local resident, stated, "If a government primary school is established in Joydebpur, children from the neighboring Chhotokala Gaon and Nischintapur villages will also be able to attend school easily and safely. If the school is not built quickly, the education system of this region will fall further behind."Local educationists and conscious citizens believe that due to the lack of a school, children from these three villages are being deprived of their fundamental right to education. For the successful implementation of the government's 'Education for All' program, swift initiatives must be taken to construct the school.The villagers demand that the government secure the necessary administrative approvals and budget allocations to quickly construct a government primary school in the Joydebpur area, allowing children from the three villages to receive primary education in a safe local environment. Regarding this issue, Chandina Upazila Primary Education Officer Rowshan Ara explained that the initiative was initially undertaken under a project to establish 1,500 government primary schools nationwide, which was later extended to include another 1,000 schools. However, the project was shut down in 2018. Later, when the Directorate of Primary Education requested an updated list of school-less areas, the Upazila office sent the relevant list on May 18, 2023. She added that after assuming office, she resent that list to the Directorate on March 31 of the current year.