The Hon. Mujibur Rahuman

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, although the Hon. Deputy Minister says devices are not required, in national schools and higher grade classes, parents have already provided smart boards and begun using them. The Hon. Deputy Minister is unaware of this. I will ask my second supplementary question.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Minister, if so, please inform those higher schools not to use such devices, because otherwise children in lower schools will not receive that education. Children in schools with financially stronger parents will receive that education, creating inequality in education due to your failure to provide the necessary infrastructure.

¶ 03 My second supplementary question is this, Hon. Speaker. Hon. Deputy Minister, you have given me CABS-type answers several times to this question. Eight months ago I asked about the lack of space at Milad Vidyalaya. That is the only Muslim school in that area teaching in Tamil medium. We know the school faces a major problem due to lack of space. During the last provincial council election period, at a discussion with the Prime Minister, a verbal promise was given to the parents of that school that after the election, land would be provided or another school would be given. To date, that verbal promise has not been fulfilled. Parents identified certain state lands in the area and submitted the names of those lands. Although it was said land would be given after naming, there is still no information.

¶ 04 Next, several schools were identified. I know that when those schools were to be given, some objections were raised and those actions were halted. A month ago those parents identified another school for this purpose. The priest of that school agreed and gave a letter allowing the activity to begin there temporarily. That school is adjacent to the earlier-mentioned school and is one that is to be closed. Even after issuing that letter, more than two months have passed, yet the Zonal Education Office has not granted approval. Therefore, children in that area have lost the opportunity to receive that school due to lack of space. Having given that letter, why can’t you allow the temporary start there until a permanent place is found? Why is there a delay in enrolling a small number of students and proceeding with activities at that adjacent school?