<i>New shifts in five govt schools soon</i>

The government has decided to introduce additional shifts in five government secondary schools in the port city to cope with the pressure of increasing number of students.
Introduction of the new shifts involving an approximate annual expenditure of Tk 15 lakh will create scope for admission of 3500 more students to these schools, sources said.
Deputy Commissioner Md Ashraf Shamim has sent a message to the education secretary on Tuesday with a set of recommendations, including the additional human resources and fund that will be required for introducing the new shifts.With no new government secondary school set up after the War of Liberation there was a tremendous pressure of increasing number of students in all the nine schools in Chittagong, sources said.
Waking up to the demand from the cross-section of people here the caretaker government came forward when the authorities concerned at a meeting on February 19 decided to introduce new shifts with 50 sections in five government schools.
Joint Secretary Md Nazrul Islam Khan of education ministry was the chief guest at the meeting at Chittagong Circuit House conference room with Deputy Commissioner, Chittagong Shamim Ashraf in the chair.
The meeting formed a five-member committee to make recommendations on the required manpower, infrastructure and other expenses for introducing the new shifts and sections.
The committee at a meeting on February 25 decided to visit the schools concerned to prepare recommendations with Mohammad Zaker Hossain, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Education and Development), Chittagong and also convener of the committee, in the chair.
The committee in its recommendations identified five schools for introducing additional shift, said Zaker while talking to The Daily Star on Tuesday.
The schools are Chittagong Government High School, Hazi Muhammad Mohsin Government High School, Bakalia Laboratory High School, Chittagong Government Girls' High School, Nasirabad and City Government Girls' High School.
The committee has recommended six new sections to accommodate 420 more students in Hazi Mohammad Mohsin Government High School, eight sections to accommodate 560 more students in City Government Girls High School and 12 sections to accommodate 860 more students in Chittagong Government High School, Chittagong Government Girls High School, Nasirabad and in Bakalia Laboratory High School each.
It also proposed recruitment of 83 more teachers to introduce second shifts and new sections.
To implement the initiative these schools will require an additional budget of Tk 15 lakh annually, of which, Tk 4.53 lakh will come from tuition and admission fees of the students, said the sources quoting the report.
The committee also recommended introduction of four additional sections for class V to Class VIII at Dr Khastagir Government Girls High School, Government Muslim High School and Nasirabad Government (Boys) High School, said the sources.
These schools along with Chittagong Collegiate (Pilot) School have already double shifts, accommodating 2120, 2104, 2065 and 2200 students respectively.
There are 12, 794 students in nine government secondary schools, including three girls' schools, in the port city.
The number of government schools at secondary level in Chittagong region is 51. A total of 152 posts of assistant teachers are lying vacant, said the sources.