Low student attendance in schools, fear looms over annual exams

Lpw number of students attended classed at various schools in the capital on Sunday amid the on–going nationwide blockade enforced by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Teachers and guardians also expressed concern over how annual examinations and evaluation would be conducted once programmes like shutdown (hartal) and blockade extend in the coming days.

BNP has been observing the second spell of blockade for two days, ending on Monday, after a gap of two days following the enforcement of a three-day nationwide blockade, beginning on 31 October.

Currently, there are about 30 million students in primary and secondary levels across the country.

This correspondent visited the Willes Little Flower School and College in the capital’s Kakrail on Sunday afternoon. Two class XII students were standing in front of the school’s main gate. They said no class took place today due to the blockade. This correspondent also talked to two teachers and they said student attendance is almost zero, so no class is holding today.

Senior teacher and coordinator (administration) Tariqul Azam Khan said currently, about 10,000 students study at the Willes Little Flower School and College, and 4,500-5,000 of those students attend classes in the morning shift, while the remaining students are in the day shift. However, 40-50 students came to the school in the morning shift, and in this circumstance, holding classes becomes less important, according to those teachers.

Prior to visiting the Kakrail school, this correspondent went to the Segun Bagicha High School and found student attendance was as usual. A guardian of a student studying class V told this correspondent that since school is open, they are sending their children to schools.

Principal AKM Obaudullah told Prothom Alo he took a class on Bangladesh and Global Studies at class IX, and 25 out of 30 students attended it.

Less number of students came to the school on the first day of the first spell of BNP’s blockade, and only 56 out 400 students came to school on that day, but student attendance started increasing from the following day, principal Obaudullah said adding, most of students in his school reside in nearby areas.

This correspondent also visited the Ideal School and College in Motijheel, where student attendance was also thin. A class IX student was seen standing in front of the school gate. He told this correspondent 15 of about 70 students from his class were present today. A class V student also informed that 14 out of 60 students at his class were present.

Assistant headmaster Monirul Hasan told Prohom Alo they were holding class despite less attendance of student.

As the 12th parliamentary election approaches, the Education Ministry’s Secondary and Higher Education Division has already decide to complete annual examinations and evaluation at schools in November. But, nonstop programmes enforced by opposition parties may affect these annual examinations and evaluations. In this case, if political programmes fall on working days and situation does not come in favour, the authorities mulls holding examinations on the weekend.

A teacher from a Dhaka school told Prothom Alo on condition of anonymity that if annul examinations and evaluations are held on the weekend only, it will be difficult to complete within November.

However, it is possible to complete within the stipulated time by holding exams on main subjects or holding exams with 50 per cent marks on all subjects, the teachers advised.

Secondary and Higher Education director (college and administration) Professor Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury told Prothom Alo they still have plans to hold examinations as decided and steps will be taken considering the changing situations in the coming days.