The Kamtapur Progressive Party (KPP), known to have considerable clout among the Rajbanshis of north Bengal, has opened around 90 private primary schools in makeshift structures to make more children study in Kamtapuri, a variant of Rajbanshi, across Jalpaiguri district.

The KPP, which is fighting for statehood and Kamtapuri language as the medium of instruction, has enrolled over 3,500 children in these schools and also approached the Bengal government to grant them affiliation.

“We thank the state government for granting approval to two primary schools where children would be taught in Kamtapuri. But two schools are inadequate to cater to the children who want to study in this language. That is why we have decided to open these schools and want the state to approve these institutions,” said Menaka Roy, a KPP leader heading a committee formed by the KPP to take care of the schools.

In recent times, this is the first such initiative by a political party in north Bengal.

KPP leaders said they have approached landowners in villages and towns of Jalpaiguri district. “We have collected no-objection certificates from them and made makeshift structures to run the schools. Altogether, 90 such schools are running in the district,” Suresh Roy, a member of the committee.

Suresh, associated with the Kamtapuri Bhasa Academy formed by the state, said they are using textbooks and syllabus which the academy has readied and submitted to the state government.

“Four teachers voluntarily providing the service are in each school to teach students from pre-primary to Class IV. So far, over 3,500 students have been enrolled,” said a source.

According to the committee members, 35 such schools have been opened in Maynaguri block, followed by 29 in Dhupguri, 12 in Kranti, seven in Matialli, six in Rajganj and one in Malbazar.

“We have submitted an application to the district administration, requesting the state education department to approve these schools. The land details of each school, the number of teachers and students, location and other information have also been appended with the application,” said a member of the committee.

Sources in the Jalpaiguri district administration said they have forwarded to the state and the ball was now in the state's court.

“Earlier, the state had given approval to 200 such primary schools where children are taught in Rajbanshi language. It seems that KPP has taken the same strategy to get more schools in Kamtapuri language. It also appears to be a political move by KPP to consolidate its base in Rajbanshi belts of north Bengal,” said a political observer.