Education on hold: Students face an uncertain future

The recent unrest sparked by the students' Quota Reform Movement and subsequent curfew and Internet shutdown, have cast a long shadow of grief and uncertainty over Bangladesh severely damaging the economy and disrupting daily life. Although the government has taken some steps to restore normalcy by easing curfew restrictions and allowing limited economic activity, one critical sector seemingly has been largely overlooked: education. The indefinite closure of educational institutions coupled with the ongoing agitation by university teachers over pension reforms has given rise to a major crisis.
Each year an academic calendar is drawn up by the Ministry of Education to guide educational activities in all educational institutions across the country. This year was no exception, but the academic calendar has already been thrown in disarray by the disruptions caused by the flooding and protracted delays in implementing a new curriculum. Add to those the suspension of academic activities at public universities that began on July 1 following a teachers' strike over the 'Prottoy Pension Scheme'.
The lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, the teachers' strike, and the ongoing Quota Reform Movement have exacerbated the unprecedented situation, causing significant disruptions to academic activities. The developments are likely to create severe session backlogs. One can easily sympathize with Education Minister, Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel in resolving the mess.
On Monday, the Education Minister told the nation that the situation was not conducive to reopening the educational institutions en bloc right now, but they would re-open gradually. His remark suggests that uncertainty prevails in the education sector, which is sure to result in significant educational loss for millions of students at all levels. It needs to be remembered that learning gaps at one level directly and indirectly affect other levels of education, as all tiers of education are closely interconnected.
The country's secondary and higher secondary level education have already experienced significant learning gaps due to natural calamities and the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Moreover, some recent instances of indecision by the relevant authorities regarding academic matters have made them worse. This has had a cascading effect on the subsequent stages of education, but it seems that few are concerned. Now, the current crisis inflates the potential risk of learning loss.
For example, traditionally, the HSC exams begin annually on April 1st. Due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and flooding in certain districts, however, the exams were delayed and started on June 30th this year. The exams have been repeatedly disrupted by the prevailing unrest ever since. The authorities declared the postponement of all HSC and equivalent exams until August 1. This follows earlier suspensions on July 19, 21, 23, and 25. In addition to multiple postponements due to the quota reform protests, floods also affected the exams in Sylhet.
Understandably, the uncertainty surrounding the HSC exams have caused serious anxiety for students and parents alike. Delays in the examination schedule no doubt will have a knock-on effect and inevitably impact result publication and university admissions. Meanwhile, the results of the third round of college admissions for eleventh grade students were released on July 12. Originally, the admission process was scheduled to take place from July 15 to 25, but this, too, had been postponed. This clearly indicates that the upcoming academic schedule and subsequent stages of education will need to be delayed.
To avoid session jams and the influence of student politics prevalent in public universities, some affluent parents have opted to send their children to private universities. The current turmoil, however, has affected students in private institutions as well. Despite being steering clear of student politics, they too are now being impacted. To be frank, students across all types of institutions are seriously affected by the ongoing unrest and face a future of uncertainty.
Prolonged school closures are generating enormous upheaval and inflicting irreparable damage on the nation's education system. An entire generation of students is at risk of losing valuable learning time and lagging behind. While government officials have indicated a desire to resume normal academic activities, the focus seems to be on restoring order rather than addressing the root causes of the unrest. To prevent a long-term educational crisis, immediate steps must be taken to restart postponed exams and reopen educational institutions. Engaging in meaningful dialogue with the protesting students is essential to finding a lasting solution and ensuring the safety and well-being of all students.
Restoring normalcy in the classroom cannot be achieved through law enforcement measures alone. The government must recognise that while economic losses can eventually be compensated with financial resources, the damage to education is irreversible. Delays in addressing educational disruptions only deepen the impact, potentially causing long-term harm to students' academic and personal development. The sooner the government takes comprehensive action to support education, and sincerely addresses the existing problems, better are the chances of minimising the damaging negative effects.

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