Political standoff taking its toll of education

Already 32,000 students are assumed to be tangled up in the sessions jam and are two years behind their academic session. An indefinite strike has been called by the 14 party-backed student body since November 20. The situation is so uncertain that no one can really predict as to when the examinations will resume or how many more sessions jam are on their way.

The deadlock is not only seriously affecting the examination schedules but will also affect the admission tests for the 2006-2007 sessions. Apparently this has become a regular feature that persisted even during the tenure of the previous caretaker government. The teachers and the students believe there is but little chance of improvement. Considering that there is already a 90-day scheduled closures on an average, there has also been added to this 44 days a year due to students' strikes, hartals, etc.

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This is indeed an appalling state of affairs. Surely there must be a way to come out of this persisting deadlock. Dhaka University is one of the highest seats of our education.

Our political parties must find ways and means so that their student wings refrain from such activities that not only vandalise the entire academic atmosphere but also threaten the future of our sons and daughters. Our political parties should reach a consensus urgently to deal with the situation and stop its recurrence from here onwards. Frankly, it is the politicians and political parties who have the primary responsibility of taking the first step in this regard. We could, in fact, do without much of politics and political activism, but surely we could not survive without education.

Education is the backbone of any nation worth its name. One by one we have already destroyed most of our vital institutions. Let us save this most important one of all.