Withdraw blockade for students' sake

As the country's ongoing political crisis seems to be far from over, the education minister yesterday once again pleaded with the BNP-led alliance to withdraw its indefinite blockade for smooth holding of the SSC and equivalent exams.

Over 14 lakh students from 27,808 educational institutions are set to take the exams at 3,116 centres from February 2 against the backdrop of political violence that has so far claimed 35 lives, burned scores and injured several hundred since January 6.

“For the sake of God and humanity, withdraw the blockade during the exams. Look at the students, think about them.... Please have mercy on us,” Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid requested the 18-party alliance at a press briefing at the secretariat.

He hoped the BNP would withdraw the nationwide blockade within three days. “Still there is some time left and I hope they [BNP leaders] will be acting upon their conscience and humanity by that time,” added the minister.

The ministry has taken some measures including boosting security at the exam centres and beefing up police patrol in the violence-prone areas.

But the guardians are concerned about reaching the exam halls safely. “Is it possible to ensure security of each of the 14 lakh students?” questioned Firoz Ahmed, the father of an examinee from the capital's Mohammadpur.

Responding to a similar question from journalists, the minister said: “They [BNP] will have to say it clearly. Should we suspend the exams indefinitely if the blockade continues?”

Nahid said the SSC examinees last year had faced problems due to hartals. “And this time around, everyone is concerned [about the exams]. The students are making preparations under extreme psychological pressure which will affect their future.”

An education ministry official said they will wait for an announcement from the BNP before holding the exams. “We can say something only after analysing the situation,” he mentioned.

Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan last night said the liaison committee of the 20-party alliance will decide on whether to continue with the blockade programme or not during the SSC exams.

He was talking to journalists at the BNP chairperson's Gulshan office. Nazrul, however, did not say when the committee would meet.

MANY LEFT OUT

Though the number of total examinees has gone up by 45,539, over 1.87 lakh students, who had registered with the education boards in class IX as regular students, are not taking the SSC exams this year.

Many schools didn't allow some of their weaker students to fill in the examination forms fearing that it would affect their position among the top-performing schools, said a source.

At the briefing, the minister said a total of 297 overseas students will take the exams in eight overseas centres under Dhaka education board. All the papers except for Bangla 2nd, English 1st and 2nd of the SSC general exams will be held under the creative question method, he added.

On question paper leak, Nahid said they took strict measures to check it.

The exams are scheduled to end on March 10 while the practical exams will commence the following day.