Mamata Banerjee to inaugurate primary school in Bhowanipore

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate a several decade-old government primary school at Kundu Road in Bhowanipore on Monday following its makeover and upgradation to a Madhyamik school. Banerjee was a teacher at the school in the 70s after the demise of her father.

The newly-constructed G+4 building of Manmatha Nath Girls’ and Boys’ Primary School will have English as its medium of instruction.

Concerned over the safety of the students of the school as the building became dilapidated, local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Bablu Singh had urged the Kolkata District Primary School Council for rejuvenation of the building. However, things didn’t go as desired and the land on which the school was situated was sold by the owner to a promoter.

The students were relocated to another school at Kasharipara Road and the building was demolished.

Singh, who is the husband of local councillor Papia Singh, wrote to the Chief Minister demanding her intervention. The matter was taken over by Banerjee who instructed the state Education department to do the needful.

The state government took necessary measures for acquiring the land and started construction of a new school building. It has taken 18 months and the stage has been set for Banerjee to unveil the school.

Earlier at a programme in her own Assembly constituency — Bhowanipore — Banerjee had said: “As a college student, I used to teach in the school at a monthly salary of Rs 60, which I gave to my mother as I had lost my father by then.”

The school was then run in morning and day shifts with around 400 students.

Presently, the school has only 15 students, including some disabled kids, who were shifted on a temporary basis to Bhowanipore Girls School nearby.