No college leaves hundreds of haor students’ higher education in limbo

For hundreds of students living in the remote haor areas of Sunamganj, the dream of higher education remains uncertain due to the lack of a nearby college, poor communication facilities and financial hardship.
The situation is particularly severe in several villages around Kanlar Haor under Surma union of Dowarabazar upazila, where more than 500 students are reportedly affected.
The students’ only educational institution for secondary-level studies is Muhibur Rahman Manik Sonali Noor High School. After passing the SSC examination, many promising students are forced to discontinue their education as there is no college within an easily accessible distance.
Students have to travel at least 8 to 10 kilometres to reach the nearest colleges. But the area has no direct road communication, making the journey particularly difficult. During the monsoon, boats are the only reliable means of transport, while roads become muddy and difficult to travel on during the dry season.
Financial hardship is another major obstacle. Many families cannot afford regular transportation costs or accommodation near distant colleges. Parents are particularly reluctant to send their daughters to colleges far from home because of concerns over safety, accommodation and expenses. As a result, a significant number of students drop out after completing their SSC.
Local residents and education-conscious people have demanded that Muhibur Rahman Manik Sonali Noor High School be upgraded to a college to ensure higher secondary education for students from the remote haor communities.
They said the school already has the necessary infrastructure to introduce higher secondary education. Upgrading the institution to a college would help reduce the dropout rate and create opportunities for hundreds of students to continue their education close to home.
Located on the eastern bank of Kanlar Haor, the school currently has more than 500 students. For those wishing to continue their studies after SSC, travelling 8 to 10 kilometres to another college has become a major challenge. Ria Akter, a Class X student of the school, said she and her classmates dream of attending college after completing SSC, but many fear they will not be able to continue their education.
“We all dream of studying in college after SSC. But many students have to give up that dream because there is no college nearby. The distance, travel costs and safety concerns make it difficult for us to attend colleges far from home,” she said.
Other students also said the absence of a nearby college had created uncertainty about their educational future. They hope the school will be upgraded so that students from the surrounding haor villages can continue their studies up to HSC level without leaving their locality.
Retired teacher Mashiur Rahman said female students were suffering the most because of the lack of higher secondary education facilities.
“Upgrading Muhibur Rahman Manik Sonali Noor High School to a college is now a demand of the time to ensure higher education opportunities for boys and girls in the haor region,” he said.
Head teacher Nurul Islam said many students who achieve good results in the SSC examination every year are unable to continue their studies because there is no college in the area.
“Many students drop out after SSC despite achieving good results. If the school is upgraded to a college, boys and girls from the remote haor communities will be able to continue their education up to HSC level while staying in their own area,” he said.
Sunamganj District Secondary Education Officer Zulfikar Hossain advised the authorities concerned to apply to the education board for upgrading the institution to a college.
He said the education authorities would provide necessary cooperation in the process.
Local residents said establishing a college in the area would not only reduce dropout rates but also help improve the overall educational and socio-economic conditions of the remote haor communities.