A bus is in flames on the capital's Kazi Nazrul Avenue after it was set alight allegedly by pickets last night during the BNP-led combine's indefinite blockade that began on January 6. Photo: Rashed Shumon The New Year has not been as thrilling and pleasant as Rimon thought it would be. For the fifth grader at a private school in Dhaka, the year started with fear. On January 1, he collected new bo
oks from his school amid a nationwide shutdown. Still, he tried to overcome the fear and be happy. He started committing his time to reading the new books with a resolve to do better this year. But his joy soon began to fade away. The 11-year-old cannot concentrate on study, as he could not go to school in the last 11 days except on the day of admission. Politics has left him baffled. "It was fun getting new textbooks. But I don't feel good staying home all day," he says. "My Abbu and Ammu did not send me to school. They fear. I also feel scared as I watched on TV scenes of bomb explosions.” Like Rimon, most of the over four crore primary and high school students are feeling helpless at the beginning of their new academic year. Politics has dampened their spirits. A BAD START The year began with a countrywide hartal called by Jamaat protesting the death sentence of its leader ATM Azharul Islam for war crimes. The next two days -- Friday and Saturday -- were weekly holidays while January 4 a government holiday for Eid-e-Miladunnabi. Students did not dare go out of their homes on January 5, as the situation heated up centring on the first anniversary of the new government. Then came the nonstop blockade called by the BNP-led alliance on January 6. The indefinite blockade is not only hurting the economy but also upsetting the education system. Advertisement Most schools in the capital are officially open, but the presence of students is thin. Fearing violence on the streets, guardians do not send their children to schools. The few that allow their kids to go to schools are in constant panic. But what makes them all concerned is the future of their children. "All the way to and from the school, my daughter and I are scared of being attacked. Still, I take her to the school as it is open. She may lose interest in studies if she stays home all the time," said Shamima, whose daughter studies at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College. Another mother, Rima Akhter, whose son studies at Dhanmondi Government Boys School, said children did not want to study at home if there was no school. 'IT'S A MESS' The school authorities are equally confused. Though they are keeping their institutions open, students are not turning up in large numbers. Shahan Ara Begum, principal of Ideal School and College, Motijheel, said, "All the teachers are coming to the school regularly, and we give lessons when majority students are present.” She added attendance of students was better than that in the first week of this month. "But it has not yet reached the desired level." Teachers of different schools say they would be in trouble to complete the syllabus if the blockade prolongs. "We don't want a repeat of 2013 when the academic activities were seriously hampered," said a teacher of Government Laboratory School in Dhanmondi. Ziaul Kabir Dulu, president of Obhibhabok Oikya Forum, a platform of guardians, said all students and their guardians had been held hostage by politicians. "It is a mess. The schools are open and some kids are going to school while some are not for security reasons. We want the government to provide security to our children," he said, urging the political parties to sit together for a solution. The political unrest is taking a heavy toll also on the English medium school students. On Sunday, a renowned school in the city sent emails to the parents thus: “Based on feedback from the majority of parents, as well as low attendance in school this past weekend which made it very difficult to hold classes normally, we have decided to provide unexpected closure homework for the next two days, while we monitor the situation.” Mohitur Rahman, head of accounting department at Dhanmondi Tutorial in the capital, said they were not giving classes as all the students were not showing up. "If, say, 30 of 50 students come to the school and we give lessons, then the rest will be deprived.” 'YOU CAN'T GET BACK LOST TIME' The O-level and A-level students are taking a huge risk to take their January session exams amid the blockade. "We are taking the exams amid constant fear of being attacked. But we have to take the exams because if we miss the exams, we miss the session," said an O-level examinee. These tests are held around the world simultaneously. As many as 7,000 students from across the country registered for this session, which will end on January 28. The situation in public and private universities is slightly better, given varsity students are grownups and those studying in public universities stay in halls. But many of those studying in private universities are missing classes and tutorials. Also in panic and confusion are some 10 lakh SSC candidates whose exams begin on February 2. While they apprehend a disruption in their exam routine, they cannot concentrate on their studies at a time when they need it most. Contacted, Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid said, “It is not possible to get back the lost time. But we will try our best to make it up the way we did in 2013.” He also urged the political parties not to enforce any programme that disrupts academic activities.
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