Staff Reporter :
Since the Education Ministry will take final decision today (Sunday) whether it will go ahead with the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and its equivalent examinations as per schedule despite blockade and 72-hour nationwide hartal by BNP-led 20-party alliance, confusion and uncertainty griped the examinees, guardians and teachers.
“Watching the overall situation whether the Education Ministry will continue the SSC and its equivalent examinations as per schedule amid blockade and hartal, the final decision will be taken today (Sunday),” a high official of the ministry said.
The SSC and equivalent examinations of 2015 are scheduled to begin tomorrow (Monday) with participation of 14,79,666 students and conclude on March 10. The examinations will begin simultaneously under the
country’s 10 education boards, including one of madrasah and another technical board. There is fear and uncertainty in the mind of guardians whether the SSC examinations will begin in time or the examination centres will be secured, said a number of guardians while talking to this reporter on Saturday. Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, who was on the way to Dhaka from Sylhet, on Saturday said that no decision has been taken yet whether his ministry would continue examinations as per schedule amid blockade and 72-hour nationwide hartal. “Final decision regarding the SSC examinations will be taken today,” the minister told The New Nation.
The BNP-led 20-party alliance on Friday called a 72-hour countrywide shutdown from today (Sunday) amid the nonstop blockade that started on January 6. The nonstop hartal begins today just one day ahead of the SSC and equivalent examinations.
Meanwhile, around 500 students along with teachers and guardians formed human chain in front of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office in the city demanding immediate withdrawal of hartal and blockade for holding of SSC and equivalent examinations as per schedule and bringing back congenial atmosphere at the educational institutions. Carrying placards containing several slogans like ‘Don’t kill us by hurling petrol bomb’, ‘Bring back our academic atmosphere’ and ‘Don’t ravage our education’ when the students including SSC examinees along with teachers and guardians were trying to march towards BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan office at about 11:00 am police intercepted them.
Besides, some 30 guardians of SSC examinees staged demonstration in front of BNP Chairperson’s office and submitted a memorandum demanding immediate withdrawal of hartal and blockade considering the public examinations.
Talking to reporters, Airin Parvin and Laila Afroz said that they would also submit memorandum to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Sunday).
Meanwhile, AKM Shahidul Hoque, Inspector General of Police (IGP) on Saturday said the members of law enforcing agencies comprising police, Rapid Action Battalion, Ansars and Border Guard Bangladesh would guard the SSC examinees while they will be on their way to examination centres.
“Our forces will provide security to the SSC examinees when they will be going to their respective examination centres if the government wants to begin the examinations as per schedule,” he told the journalists at a press conference at police headquarters in the city.
The IGP urged the people and politicians to cooperate with them to ensure smooth holding of the SSC examinations.
Replying to a query, he said that police would show ‘zero tolerance’ against the anarchists and urged BNP to stop violence in the name of movements. University Grants Commission Chairman Prof. Dr. A K Azad Chowdhury, its members and vice-chancellors of public and private universities at a discussion yesterday urged the politicians to withdraw the hartal and blockade considering the fate of 14,79,666 SSC examinees. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim on Saturday said if needed leaders and workers of Awami League-led 14-party would guard the examinees and examination centres across the country to ensure holding of peaceful examinations.
“We, leaders and workers of AL-led 14-party, will guard the examinees while they will be going to examination centres. Our leaders and workers will also guard the examination centres across the country to ensure holding of peaceful examinations,” he told reporters after inaugurating the ICU unit of Jamalpur 250-bed General Hospital.
