Classes over TV for grades 6 to 10

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has decided that Sangsad Television will telecast recorded classes of the best teachers for students of class VI to class X during the time classes are suspended due to coronavirus outbreak.

DSHE senior officials confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

The Directorate of Primary Education is also mulling a similar strategy. A decision will be taken in this regard on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the government has shut all educational institutions and coaching centres till 31 March due to coronavirus outbreak worldwide.

About 40 million students stay home. Of them, 17.5 million are primary level students. Secondary level students are over 10 million.

Study of the students is being affected as the educational institutions and coaching centres are shut.

Sources at the primary and mass education ministry said the leave period may be extended if the situation worsens further.

Under the circumstances, the government has taken an alternative measures to recover the losses.

A DSHE senior official said a three-month programme has been undertaken.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, DSHE director Shahedul Khabir Chowdhury said the programme is being implemented in coordination with Access to Information (A2I) project.

Recorded classes of best teachers of different educational institutions will be aired on Sangsad Television. The classes will be telecasted between 9am and 9pm. As many as 35 classes on a subject will be aired.

Sources said recording of classes started at three studios on Saturday. Bangladesh Bureau of Educational Information and Statistics (BANBEIS) belongs to one of the studios.

Besides, one studio is of Daffodil International University another mobile operator Robi.

Classes will be aired on trial basis next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Regular classes will be held from next week.

Appreciating the initiative, Viqarunnisa Noon School and College principal Fougia said at least students will be able to learn at home.

The Directorate of Primary Education (DPE) directorate general Md Fashiullah said, “We are also mulling to air classes on TV.”

A decision will be taken after a meeting with the primary and mass education ministry secretary on Sunday.

Primary and mass education ministry in a circular on Saturday requested the local administration and the law enforcing agencies to instruct the guardians to keep their children safe at home and not to go outside unnecessarily.

Meanwhile, private universities are continuing their academic activities online.

Dhaka University Institute of Education and Research (IER) professor Mohammad Tarique Ahsan views the initiative positive.

Holding of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations is uncertain. The examinations were scheduled to begin on 1 April.

Dhaka Secondary and Higher Secondary Board chairman Ziaul Haque said it would be difficult to hold examinations if the situation worsens.

No decision has been taken yet, he added.

Sources at the education ministry said the matter may be discussed at a meeting on Monday.

· This report has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.