Just when the country’s school students were recovering from the COVID-19 fallout, political unrest, especially rounds of nationwide blockade enforced by opposition parties, ahead of the upcoming national election has posed a new challenge in their way to advancing their studies smoothly.

The number of students at schools during the opposition’s programmes has been dropping drastically, while the schools have been taking more than one exams on a holiday to finish all the academic activities by 30 November as per the government directive.

The disruption in the rhythm of regular academic activities has put the students under huge pressure, and made the guardians worried that their children will lag behind again in their education life due to finishing the curriculum in a hasty manner.

The BNP and the like-minded parties enforced countrywide hartal on 29 October, and then blockades on 31 October, 5-6 November and 8-9 November, which disrupted the activities at the educational institutions heavily. Guardians fear that the situation might worsen as there are speculations about further political programmes enforced by the opposition party.

Visiting different educational institutions, including Viqarunnisa Noon School and College at Baily Road and Bashundhara, Ideal School and College at MotiJheel and Banasree, Motijheel Government Girls High School, Government Laboratory High School, Rampura Ekramunnesa Girls High School, Rajuk Uttara Model College, Uttara Model School and College, Banani Bidyaniketan, Nilkhet High School and Anandalok High School, in the capital during the opposition’s ongoing blockade, our correspondent found that the number students attending classes was very low.

Meanwhile, a number of educational institutions, including Rajuk Uttara Model College and Milestone College, have started taking year-final exams – many of which are scheduled on Saturdays – to complete the academic year.

Guardians said a number of English medium institutions kept closed their operations during the opposition’s blockade programmes, while many others have been advancing their programmes by coordinating their online and physical activities.

Many institutions have been taking as many as three exams on holidays to finish the academic year, which is putting a huge pressure on the students, said the guardians.

AKM Ashraful Haque, president of the Bangladesh English Medium School Parents Forum, told the Daily Sun, “Political unrest ahead of elections in the country is normal. In this situation, instead of putting extra pressure on our children, the schools can take one exam per holiday during November and the rest of the exams in December to reduce the students’ mental pressure.”

Expressing a similar opinion, Mesbah Kamal, a former history professor at Dhaka University, said it is normal for the parents not to send their children to schools as they worry about the uncertain situation caused by the opposition parties’ political programmes.

Mahfuzur Rahman Khan, principal of Motijheel Model School and College, said, “We are trying to continue academic activities as usual. We have plans to take exams within the time limit set by the government.”

However, Mahfuzur Rahman Khan said they will work to implement any new decision taken by the government if the situation turns bad.

Professor Mohammad Abul Mansur Bhuyan, school inspector of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Dhaka, said until now there are instructions to continue the normal academic activities. The education board is supervising the schools to implement the education ministry’s instructions.

Asked if the exams will be on time, Professor Bhuyan told the Daily Sun that the exam controller can clarify that.

Mohammad Belal Hossain, director of the secondary education wing of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, said no situation has arisen that calls for postponement of the examinations yet.

“We are regularly holding online meetings with the institutions of different regions. The institutes are holding classes regularly. We think the exam will be held on time. However, if any adverse situation arises, further steps will be taken as per the ministry’s instructions,” he added.