Grade-four student Sakia Karim Raka has been housebound for around five and a half months. Her school in Dhaka's Malibagh held online classes for some days in June, but could not continue, reports bdnews24.com.
Now, with four months left of the year, what will happen to Raka's promotion to class five? Will she need to take annual exams? How will she sit for the exams after spending half the year without classes in person when she could not study well at home?
Along with the teachers of primary schools, parents are worried about the annual examinations as the educational institutions continue to remain shut with the outbreak still raging across the country.
As there has been a long gap in their studies, many have suggested that the academic year for primary students should end without any exam.
Some others suggest extending the academic year and truncating the syllabus.
The parents believe the school authorities should give clear directives on the issue. The school authorities, on the other hand, say they are waiting for the government decision.
Educational institutions across the country have been closed since March 17 as part of efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus infection. The government is yet to give any decision on reopening them.
Raka, who studies at Malibagh Faizur Rahman Ideal School and College, attended her first term examinations online in July, said her father Abdul Karim.
On Monday, the school authorities gave the evaluated exam papers to the parents along with a syllabus for the upcoming annual exams, he said.
"Online classes took place in June for just a few days, then there was no more classes as many of the students lacked the devices. The school authorities said they'll make a decision on holding exams after the government decides on it," said the father, worried about annual exams.
"Children have lost their interest in studies due to the long break. They should be automatically promoted. If they really want to hold exams, it should be based on a short and easy syllabus and designed with easy multiple choice questions," he said.
Primary school students should not take any exams in the present circumstances, believes Madhu Tripura, the father of Ananya Shreya, a first grader of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College.
"I have two children studying in Viqarunnisa. I had to buy them a laptop as it was troublesome to attend online classes through Zoom on a mobile phone.
"But online classes do not provide enough academic lessons for them. Also, not all students have an electronic device to follow online classes. So, I believe making the children to take tests will be pointless," he said.
His son stopped studying after the school closed in March, said Manik Mia, the father of Tanjib Alvi, a student of grade five at Motijheel Ideal School. Later, they started online classes, but those were not like in the normal times, he said.
"The syllabus is pretty long which the children can't complete studying without regularly attending classes. Also, they have lost focus on studies. So, the syllabus for the annual exam should be truncated," he said.
Students studying in English version are facing even more problems, said their parents.
Though the online classes and exams are on, it is never like regular education, said Nurjahan Begum Shila, whose son 'Tamim' is a fifth grader at Southpoint School and College.
"Sometime the internet connection is disrupted; also they can't ask back questions they need to," she said.
