The education ministry will extend the ongoing shutdown of educational institutions across a country amidst the coronavirus pandemic and announce its decision on Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations next week.
“We will inform you of the date soon…, and announce the decision on HSC examinations by next Tuesday,” Education Minister Dipu Moni told an online view-exchange meeting with the journalists on Wednesday.
The minster said, “A favourable environment to reopen educational institutions is yet to prevail.”
“Students may contract the virus after reopening schools or through other sources. (If it happens) responsibility falls on the ministry. Therefore, we are giving the utmost priority to student’slife and safety,” she added.
On the HSC and its equivalent examinations, Dipu Moni said, “All preparation is set for the exams. If we announce a new date the students will have at least four weeks to prepare for the exams.”
“About 14 lakh students will take the examinationsthis year. In most cases, guardians will accompany the students. At least 1 lakh teachers along with members of law enforcement agencies will be involved in holding the exams. Some 25 to 30 lakh people will be involved in process with most of them will be using public transports. There is a big risk of spreading the infection,” she said.
The minister said, “We are also considering different options. A group of students demandto the examinations be postponed; it might be an option. But they must keep in mind that it is a public examination and its certificate means a lot.”
“We may hold examination by reducing the number of the subjects. In this case, we may evaluate their JSC and SSC results. We are considering more options,” she continued.
Dipu Moni further said, “The ministry will hold another meeting with other sector stakeholders to take a specific decision on whether the HSC examination will be held or on how and in what way.”
“We will inform you of the the decision next Monday or Tuesday,” she said.
On allowing O-level and A-level examinations, the minister said, “Some 1,800 out of 6,000 candidates will take the tests at 35 exam centers daily maintaining stricthygiene rules.”
At the meeting, journalists from different media outlets placed their opinion and discussed problems in education sector caused by the coronavirus pandemic
Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, Education Secretary Md Mahbub Hossain and Technical and Madrasah Education Division Secretary MdAminul Islam Khan, among others, spoke on the occasion.