'Teachers to hold classes under open sky if varsities don't reopen'

University Teachers' Network on Tuesday urged the authorities concerned to reopen universities from the first week of September. Otherwise, they have announced to hold symbolic classes under open spaces protesting the closure.

They have proposed a roadmap on how to reopen campuses gradually during a virtual press conference conducted by Dhaka University (DU) professor Gitiara Nasreen, reports UNB.

As per the roadmap, the residential halls should be reopened immediately (from 1 September) for honour’s and master’s students. Once their exams are over, the other batches should get residential facilities step by step.

"No examination can be taken without ensuring residential facilities. Students who will stay in the halls and those who will come from home should participate in exams in separate rooms to curb Covid-19 transmission," said Chittagong University assistant professor Maidul Islam while presenting the keynote paper.

After completion of the exams, there could be a "hybrid system", where students should get the opportunity to participate in classes -- both online and offline. Fifty per cent of the students could join online and the rest could start regular classes in the classroom.

"If a student falls ill, he/she can join online," Maidul Islam added.

According to the keynote paper, Covid-19 testing and vaccination for students should be installed at campus medical centres on a priority basis. The capacity of medical centres, along with isolation facility, should be upgraded.

The University Teachers' Network also demanded starting an online teaching-learning management system for teachers and a separate committee in each university to train them.

They demanded measures necessary for mental wellbeing of teachers and students and high-speed internet at low cost. Teachers also demanded identifying students who drop out and make arrangements for their safety net.