Coaching Held in Government School Classrooms in Thakurgaon's Ruhia Despite Ban

Coaching is allegedly being held after school hours in the classrooms of a government primary school in Ruhia upazila of Thakurgaon, in defiance of a ban issued by the Directorate of Primary Education.

The school is Arazi Dakshin Bathina Government Primary School in Dholarhat Union of Ruhia upazila. The school closes at 4pm, and coaching for students is reportedly being held in two of its classrooms after that time.

Private tutoring and coaching after hours in government primary school classrooms are prohibited, and the Directorate of Primary Education has issued instructions to that effect.

During a recent on-site visit to the school, a teacher was seen teaching several students in two classrooms. He said he was not a teacher of that school and had come from outside. According to him, except for two or three, the other students taking part in the coaching were from outside.

The school's assistant teacher Dulal Rabbani said the annual examination was ahead. That, he said, was why the children were being taught instead of wandering around. He also said the school's assistant teacher and acting head teacher Julfikar Rahman was aware of the matter.

In an office order on 10 March 2025, the Directorate of Primary Education banned private tutoring and coaching in the classrooms of government and non-government primary schools after hours or on holidays.

The order said school classrooms could not be used for private tutoring or coaching under any circumstances, and that the persons responsible would be held accountable if the instruction was disobeyed.

Questions have been raised over how coaching is continuing at the school despite the directorate's instruction.

When assistant teacher and acting head teacher Julfikar Rahman was contacted about the coaching at the school, he did not receive the phone call.