M M Jasim :
Classes are being held in schools and colleges during the month of Ramzan in exchange of meney though the government ordered closure of institutions on account of Ramzan vacation.
The Education Ministry sources said that the ministry asked the primary schools to close the institutions from June 15. The secondary schools announced their Ramzan vacation with effect from June 18, while the higher secondary institutions will be closed from July 5.
The ministry issued the order considering religious aspect and traffic jam in the city.
But the primary and secondary schools’ authorities asked the students to attend the classes. The schools’ authorities managed the guardians to send their sons and daughters to schools in the name of taking special care.
The authorities are reportedly collecting Tk 1,000 at least from each student. The students of Class V, V111 and X are the target. That is why the students attend schools during Ramzan.
Farhad Hossain, Principal of Monipur School and College, said, “We declared Ramzan vacation in line with the ministry’s direction. Some classes will be taken during the month to make the students ready for the next public examinations. We take Tk 150 per subject from each student.”
Like the Monipur School and College, classes are also held at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Motijheel Ideal School and College, Shamsul Huq Khan School and College and others noted schools in the capital and elsewhere in the country.
Riaz Uddin, a guardian, told The New Nation that his son has already completed the entire syllabus to sit in the upcoming examinations. But the schools’ teachers forced him to send the son to school and give extra money. It is totally unethical, he said.
On June 16 last year, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid in a cabinet meeting proposed to keep schools and colleges open during the month of Ramzan to make the losses, which were created due to the political turmoil. But the Prime Minister directly opposed the proposal and directed closure of the institutions.
The PM explained the difficulties faced by the children and their female guardians to go to schools during the Ramzan. Consequently, the ministry issued the order to schools and colleges to act on accordingly.
Deputy Secretary of the Education Ministry Subodh Chandra Dhali said the ministry, however, agreed with the schools and colleges authorities that classes could be taken to prepare the weak students only. But taking money from all the students would be unethical, he said.
