Amid harsh winter, the students enrolled in Shibpur High School in Shyampur area of Khetlal upazila in Joypurhat are attending their classes under the open sky in the absence of adequate classrooms.

Education experts emphasize the importance of creating a safe classroom environment to ensure that students feel comfortable and can excel. However, students and teachers at Shibpur High School have been voicing concerns about their situation for an extended period.

During a recent onsite visit, a correspondent from the Daily Sun observed that teachers were conducting classes for secondary and vocational students outside, with no roof, walls, or chairs, forcing them to endure adverse weather conditions.

Teachers and staff reported that, despite notifying the relevant authorities about the crisis, no action has been taken for many years. To keep up with educational progress, they have had no choice but to hold classes outdoors throughout both winter and summer.

Established in 1945, Shibpur High School is located in Alampur union, approximately 12 kilometres from the upazila headquarters. A wealthy local resident, Shafir Uddin Mandal, donated 33 decimals of land in Shyampur village for the school. With the support of local residents and the initiative of the managing committee, classrooms were built on this land, initially featuring mud walls and tin-shed roofs, allowing teaching activities to occur, albeit under challenging conditions.

In 1994 and 2010, two separate buildings totalling 11 rooms were constructed by the Education Engineering Department. However, there remains a shortage of classrooms. The current setup includes the use of the school's office, teacher's room, library, computer lab, students' common room, and science laboratory for classes. While nine classrooms are needed to accommodate the increasing number of students, only five classrooms are available for teaching. As a result, students often find themselves crowded in those rooms.

Rahad Hossain, an eighth-grade student, said, “Due to the shortage of classrooms, we have been holding classes in the playground for the past year. Often, dust, sand, and mud accumulate on our books, notebooks, and clothing, making it difficult to come to school and study.”

Assistant Teacher Shafiqul Alam Shafiq noted that despite the crisis in classrooms and other infrastructure, the school maintains a good reputation in the upazila for its educational standards. He stressed the urgent need for the relevant authorities to construct a new building for the students.

Acting Headmaster Azizul Hasan Joardar explained, “According to the daily attendance of students, nine classrooms are required, but we only have six. We have reported the classroom shortage to the district and upazila education offices, as well as the Education Engineering Department, for several years. However, no solutions have been implemented yet.”

District Education Officer Ruhul Amin acknowledged that the number of students at the school has slightly increased compared to previous years, which has contributed to the classroom shortage. He stated that if the Education Engineering Department requests a new building for district-based schools, he would advocate strongly for the construction of a new building for Shibpur High School on a priority basis.