Disruption in academic calendar
DOT Desk: [2] The government is undecided over its next course of action following the disruption in the academic calendar during the ongoing lockdown after the coronavirus outbreak, reports The New Age.
[3] Since March 17, all academic institutions and coaching centres across the country remained closed and all examinations were suspended to ensure social distancing necessary for containing the COVID-19 epidemic.Around four crore students from pre-primary level to tertiary level in the country are facing uncertainty over their future.
[4] While the authorities are planning to hold the examinations within a short period immediately when situation improves, they are set to evaluate students on the basis of the partially completed lessons, educationists demand coordinated initiatives and alternative evaluation system for students. At present, this year’s the academic calendar is in complete disorder due to suspension of all examinations, including the Higher Secondary School Certificate and equivalent exams, scheduled to be started on April 1, the periodic exams in the schools, examinations and admission tests at the universities as well as many schools. [5] Following the COVID-19 outbreak, under separate initiatives of the education and the primary and mass education ministries, the Sangshad Television started broadcasting lessons for secondary level students from March 29 and lessons for primary level students from April 7.
[6] Mahbub Hossain, secretary of Secondary and Higher Education Division under education ministry, told New Age on Thursday that they could fix the next course of action only when the situation would improve. ‘We have some alternatives,’ he said, adding, ‘We will take realistic decisions to compensate for the academic careers of the students.’
[7] A senior official of Dhaka Education Board, seeking anonymity, said that if the situation improves within next 30 days they would publish the results of the Secondary School Certificate and hold HSC examinations within 15 days. The HSC exam period could be cut down to one month from the usual one moth and 10 days, while the upcoming holidays of Eid-ul-Azha festival and the winter vacation could also be reduced to make up for the lost days, he said. He also said that they were not planning to give grace marks to the students but were preparing to evaluate them on the basis of the lessons they have completed.
Campaign for Popular Education executive director Rasheda K Choudhury said that if the current situation lingers the authorities could abbreviate the syllabus by ensuring the minimum competency of the students.
‘Currently, through the broadcasting of lessons from TV the authorities are reaching 56 per cent students, she said.
‘What will happen to the 44 per cent students staying out of this facility?’
Rasheda said that the government should take some coordinated steps with the non-government organisations during this volatile situation.
Former professor of Dhaka University’s Institute of Education and Research Quazi Afroz Jahanara told New Age that instead of traditional summative system the continuous assessment could be a solution to evaluate students in the current situation, she added.