M M Jasim :
About 15 lakh examinees of Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent levels have been plunged in grave anxiety due to the violence and arson attacks on buses and other establishments since the BNP-led 20-party alliance enforced countrywide non-stop blockade on January 6.
The SSC, Dakhil and SSC-vocational examinations are scheduled to commence from February 2 — barely 5 days from now.
Along with the students, their guardians and teachers are also seriously worried as preparations for the examinations are being hampered because of the non-stop blockade enforced by the BNP-led 20-party alliance.
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has decided to take the examinations even during the hartal and blockade programmes. It has already started to send examination-related papers to the respective examination centres.
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid on Saturday said that the SSC and equivalent examinations would not be deferred in any condition. He hoped that the examinations will be declared out of the purview of hartal and blockade.
He also called upon all the political parties to withdraw their programme during the SSC examinations.
Abdur Razzak, a guardian, told The New Nation that his only son would appear at the SSC examinations this year. But he is worried about his son’s examinations due to arson and vandalism in the street. Sabiha Tabassum, a student of Viqurunnesa Noon School and College, said that she could not concentrate to her studies due to the political unrest. She also could not go to her teachers and friends to take suggestions. As a result, she is in fear about her examination.
A total of 10,90,555 students will appear in the SSC examinations under eight general education boards. Of them, 5,36,217 students are male and 5,58,338 female.
As many as 2,39,749 students will participate in the Dhakhil examinations while 1,02,423 will participate in the SSC-vocational examinations.
Education Board Chairman Professor Md Abu Bakkar Siddik said starting SSC examination in the first week of February is a tradition. There is no scope to defer the examination for any causes. Education Ministry sources said that it has sent a letter to the Home Ministry on Sunday to take step and make a congenial atmosphere during the SSC examinations.
Controller of Dhaka Education Board Dr Srikanto Kumar Chandra said that at least 70 per cent materials of examinations have already been sent to the respective centres. The rest of the materials would be sent by January 29, he said.
It is to be noted that the political situation heated up centering the observance of the first anniversary of the new government on January 5. Then came the non-stop blockade called by the BNP-led 20-party alliance on January 6. The indefinite blockade is not only hurting the economy but also upsetting the education system.
