Editorial
Sessions jam at public universities
Extraordinary measures needed to redress it
Three major universities of the country, namely Dhaka University (DU), Chittagong University (CU) and Rajshahi University (RU) are destined to face additional sessions jam following their closure in the wake of the recent violence at the DU campus. These three universities having been closed since August 22 are now scheduled to open between October 20 and 28 after the Ramadan, Eidul Fitr and Durga Puja holidays.
A few hundred examinations have already been deferred due to this unscheduled closure. Most other universities and colleges have, however, already resumed their academic activities since the government lifted its restriction on reopening of all educational institutions.
It is indeed shocking to learn that a student of arts or social science faculty has to spend around seven years to complete the four-year undergraduate course while a student of fine arts would require 13 years. Ways and means have to be devised to come out of this debilitating state of affairs.
We thus wish to recommend a few special measures. To begin with, serious consideration should be given to shortening the coming scheduled holidays.
Respective university administrations along with teachers should also be ready to make sacrifices so that makeup classes can be held. The authorities could think of giving some honorarium by way of grants to respective universities for this additional work by the teachers and the administration.
Last but not least, the government could also take the initiative to hold yet further discussions with the respective university authorities to explore all possible avenues of avoiding recurrence of the violence that erupted during August 22 through 24. It is our belief that all concerned should come forward and embark on confidence building measures on the campuses.
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