Spare students

A child in fear grabs her mother’s arm with both hands as they make their way home from school at Amin Bazar near Dhaka yesterday. At that time, opposition activists, not in frame, were involved in a running battle with law enforcers there, seen in the background. Photo: Palash Khan

“We have requested them [politicians] time and again to keep children’s education out of politics, but our voices are never heard. Aren’t we the citizens whom the politicians claim to be working for?” said a father in disgust.
Abu Raihan, a parent from Kallyanpur in the capital, phoned this correspondent Monday night to know if the exam schedule of his son, a candidate of the primary terminal examinations, would change owing to the 48-hour blockade declared by BNP, the main opposition.
Politicians say they hold such programmes in the interest of the country, he said, “but how such violent programmes will protect our interests when these are jeopardising the future of the nation.”
Raihan continued that both the political parties blamed each other for the present situation but it was people like them who were paying the price.
The politicians will probably have the right answers to the questions of Raihan but at that time the correspondent hardly knew what to say.
The countrywide blockade of roads, rail and waterways engendered concerns among parents like Raihan about their children.
Amid this situation, the government yesterday rescheduled today’s primary and ebtedai terminal examinations.
In consideration of the security of the candidates, the examinations will be held from 9:30am to 12:00noon on Friday, an official handout said. More than 29 lakh class-V students are taking the examinations that began on November 20.
Students of other classes and those from English medium schools are passing a distressing time too.
Many schools are holding annual examinations while the students of English medium schools are taking half-yearly exams. Exams are also going on in colleges.
The authorities of educational institutions were nonplussed as they came to know about the announcement of the blockade Monday night. They could not make any decision that night regarding the class or exam schedules.
Moreover, the opposition did not make any formal announcement as to whether the educational institutions would be out of the blockade’s purview.
Amid confusion, some schools were open yesterday while some were closed.
Manju Ara Begum, principal of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, said the authorities finally suspended exams of the college section, considering the security of the students.
The guardians were also puzzled. Many parents risked their lives to bring their children to schools yesterday as there were exams.
“We were in the dark as to what was out of the blockade’s purview. So with fear I took my child to the school as there was an exam. Seeing the video clips of violence on television, I was extremely frightened, “said Ibrahim, whose child studies in Sahid Bir Uttam Anwar Girls School and College.
The politicians are least concerned about the sufferings of people and the nation, about the economy and the future of students, said another angry guardian.
The children lose interests in their studies as the volatile political situation makes things uncertain, said a mother.
“The opposition said the government would have to take the responsibility of the damages while the ruling party blamed the opposition. Where are we?” she said.
Officials of the directorates of the primary and secondary education said they were uncertain whether the annual exams would complete on time.
The authorities have to complete the annual school examinations by December first week as per the election commission’s request, said an official of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, seeking anonymity.
But the current situation indicates that more violent programmes like hartal and shutdown may be declared and in that case “we will be in trouble,” he said.