Mohiddun Alamgir

After the postponement of HSC exams for an indefinite period, uncertainty now looms over annual final exams at English-medium schools as well as half-yearly exams of Bangla medium primary and secondary schools.

Due to the school shutdown enforced to contain Covid-19 transmission, educators are unable to complete lesson plans, give class tests and make other preparations for education of school kids.

The government has introduced TV education through Sangsad Bangladesh Television for students of sixth to 10th grades, to minimise the loss, but many students remain out of coverage of the programme.

Until yesterday, there was no TV education for primary education, while not every secondary school student has a television set at their home.

According to the annual academic calendar of the Directorate of Primary Education (DPE), half-yearly exams at Bangla medium schools are expected to start on April 15 and complete on April 23. The directorate oversees over 1 lakh primary schools, madrasas, and kindergartens, which have over 1.74 crore students.

“We could not complete lessons. Exams can take place only after lessons are completed. If the situation is not normal, how we can hold exams?” said Md Fasiullah, director general of DPE.

In an effort to stem the spread of the virus, all educational institutions were ordered shut from March 17 to 31, which was later extended to April 11.

Across the country, some 3.68 crore students at educational institutions and over a million teachers and other school personnel are now confined to their homes.

Top DSHE officials said that there is a strong possibility that the government will extend the closure till April 25. And in that case, schools and colleges will remain off till May 31 for the Ramadan and Eid ul Fitr vacation.

Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education’s (DSHE) academic calendar says the half-yearly and pre-test for SSC exams are scheduled to begin on June 13 and complete on June 25.

According to a DSHE official, there are about 90 lakh students currently enrolled in sixth to tenth grades in schools across the country.