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DU devises plan to check looming session jam


Bangladeshpost
Published : 05 Oct 2020 09:53 PM | Updated : 06 Oct 2020 12:44 AM

Abdur Razzak Sohel

Session jam for two or three years was a common scenario at country’s universities including premier Dhaka University (DU) a decade ago, but the scenario gets reversed soon after the Awami League (AL) came into power in 2009. 

However, when the universities were about to recover the academic gap of years overcoming political instability, the coronavirus crisis has triggered a fear of looming session jam again.

To check the looming session jam, country’s highest institution of academic excellence Dhaka University has made a set of plans which include cutting holidays, minimizing the duration of classes, semesters and examinations, taking extra classes and minimizing vacations. 

The DU authorities have started conducting online classes after months of lockdown but yet to decide on holding exams online though Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) has already installed a learning management system (LMS) software which will allow them to add assignments and do assessments, give access to the courses and course materials online and communicate with students smoothly.

While asked about LMS Dhaka University Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor Dr Md Akhtaruzzamansaid, “There are many questions among the academicians around the globe about the examination system based on the software.”It also raises concerns whether it can ensure the quality education or not, he added. To check the looming session congestion, the VC said “We have plans which include cutting holidays, holding extra classes and doing academic activities on weekend and minimizing class, exams and semester duration.”

Regarding holding examination, he said, “We will take exams related decisions or next course of actions based on government’s instructions and considering the pandemic situation.”

“It is difficult to avoid session jam as the coronavirus is a global crisis. But the academic losses should be at a minimal level and thus, we have made a lot of plans which include arranging extra classes, minimising weekly and monthly vacations when the university reopen.” DU Pro-VC (Academic) ASM MaksudKamal told The Bangladesh Post. 

He said they will open the university following the government’s instructions and hoped to come back to the classrooms physically within two or three months.

“We are committed to bringing out best solution for the welfare of the students and minimise their academic losses and thus, students also have to be prepared mentally to face pressure after reopening academic activities in full swing,” he further said. 

To ensure all student’s equal access to online classes, the university will send the list of students, who need data packages and other logistics support,to the University Grants Commission (UGC) within the next week, said Maksud hoping that they will be able to provide data package and other logistics support to the students within a short period of time.

While asked about LMS examination method, MaksudKamal said “LMS is under our surveillance, we will think about the software, if we go for online exams at once.”

Dhaka University (DU) has remained closed for the last six months due to the coronavirus situation. In the meantime, two and a half months have passed since the start of the online class. But online classes have many limitations such as students not having devices and poor internet service. University authorities decided to provide mobile data to students about two and a half months after the start of online classes. On the other hand, there are various limitations and also questions about the quality of online classes. Due to this period of stagnation, the students are worried about the session. 

The public universities began holding online classes a month after the shutdown, though none could manage to ensure 100 per cent participation except BUET and DMC. However, they have yet to take any decision on exams or have an alternative plan for exams which weighed uncertainty on the students as some of whom were about to finish their study when the shutdown began. As the academies still await a decision about reopening, the pupils stare at a six-month to one-year delay to their plans to end higher studiesfor beginning their career.