The academic atmosphere at the North Ibrahimpur Government Primary School in a remote village in Nabinagar upazila will raise hope in any visitor. Besides studies, children also learn discipline, cleanliness and good manners at school.

The discipline comes from teachers. They come to school by 9:30 am, half an hour before school hours. They meet at the dilapidated teachers' room, discuss problems, if any, and fix the day's programme.

Guardians from different areas of the upazila vie to get their children admitted to the school. But many are disappointed, it was gathered.

This year, seven of its students got Talent Pool Scholarship in Class V out of 15 allocated for Nabinagar upazila. Another got general scholarship. This is an enviable achievement compared to those of four government primary schools and two kindergarten schools at Nabinagar upazila headquarter.

This is no exception for the school. From 1976 till last year, it got 99 scholarships.

During a visit by this correspondent, chairman of the school governing body, Noor Ahmed, a retired army Subedar, was also seen sitting at the office room.

Right at 10 am, a whistle blared and all students came out of classrooms in lines for 'assembly' on the small premises. The discipline was noteworthy. The children looked tidy with clean dresses.

Noor Ahmed said the school runs well only because of sincerity of teachers and hard labour of headmaster Md. Abul Hashem, who is at the school since 1968.

The headmaster said the school has earned the reputation due to joint efforts by teachers and guardians. Besides academic activities at school, motivation of guardians is also very important because they are the teachers at home.

Asked about the method of teaching and the result, the headmaster said discipline and regularity are most important. "Guardians should also know what their children are doing".

The teachers come to school before 9:30 am and stay up to 4:30 pm, he said. They take lunch at teachers' room to save time for students.

Besides regular class tests, special coaching for students of Class V starts from February. The coaching is held at school.

"They (teachers) follow the Teachers Guide", the headmaster said.

After publication of scholarship results this year, many officials and guardians visited the school, the headmaster said. It is about three hours' journey from Brahmanbaria town.

But the school building gives a different look, not befitting to the result and atmosphere.

There are 839 student including 412 girls at the school. As per rule, there should be one teacher for 50 students at primary level. But there are only nine teachers including seven women at the school.

Due to lack of teachers, the school is now being run in two shifts, the headmaster said.

The students huddle in only seven classrooms at the tin-shed dilapidated school building. There are two sections in Class V for 125 students.

Three of the seven rooms were seen virtually unfit for use. The walls are old and smudgy.

"We can do better if the authorities give us two more teachers and construct a two storied building for this school", the head master said.

When contacted later, Sunil Kumar Roy, Acting Upazila Education Officer (UEO) said, "Headmaster Abul Hashem is a pride for the district. The school (North Ibrahimpur Government Primary School) is at the top position due to his hard labour, sincerity and good administration. He has been selected as the best teacher in the district".

Sunil Kumar said he has sent papers to higher authorities for money for construction of a two storied building at the school.

The eight students and nine teachers of the school will be accorded a reception by Nabinagar Upazila Education Office at the upazila headquarter on May 11, officials said.