Mohiuddin Alamgir

The University Grants Commission (UGC) yesterday asked private universities to stop assigning their current students grades through online exams and evaluation, and to stop enrolling new students sans admission tests, due to the shutdown of educational institutions in light of the novel coronavirus outbreak in the country.

Many private universities have decided to assign students grades without holding semester finals and enroll new students sans admission tests, due to the evolving novel coronavirus situation.

After the postponement of HSC exams for an indefinite period, uncertainty now looms over annual final exams at English-medium schools as well as half-yearly exams of Bangla medium primary and secondary schools.

The authorities are yet to introduce regular online classes for school students as educational institutions remain indefinitely closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

After the first day of televised classroom lectures for secondary school students yesterday, guardians proposed that authorities address loud background music and unclear whiteboard. They also proposed the government should air these lectures through Bangladesh Television and if possible through some other private TV channels.

Authorities are all set to provide education to secondary students through television from today, aiming to minimise the loss of the academic session due to closure of educational institutions.

The government has failed to keep the promise to publish a fresh list of razakars by the 50th Independence and National Day.

Awami League candidate Md Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin won the by-election to Dhaka-10 constituency, held amid the lowest ever voter turnout due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Many coaching centres in the capital are continuing their operations amid thin presence of students, defying a government order to keep educational institutions shut down as a preventive measure against possible spread of novel coronavirus in the country.

Despite growing concern over coronavirus, schools in the capital appear to be ill-prepared to contain any possible spread of the virus.

The government has asked all students of secondary schools and colleges to wash their hands frequently and avoid any kind of gathering as preventive measures to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.

As the first cases of coronavirus were detected in the country yesterday, education ministries said they would take all necessary measures to curb the spread of the virus.

With the first confirmation of coronavirus cases in Bangladesh, when asked whether educational institutions will be closed, State Minister for Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury says they will act in line with the directive of the health ministry.

The month-long Amar Ekushey book fair, the country’s biggest congregation of booklovers, authors, and publishers, ended yesterday with a massive turnout.

A day after electricity prices were raised, Wasa has increased water tariffs for residential and commercial uses in Dhaka for the second time in a span of seven months, dealing a double blow to consumers.

A staggering 77 percent of the government primary schools do not have Shaheed Minar, a monument where students can pay homage to the martyrs of the Language Movement.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last night asked her party leaders and activists not to go overboard with the observance of “Mujib Borsho”, the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Renowned educationists are divided over the University Grants Commission’s move to introduce a central entrance test for public universities.

From this year, all public universities have to enrol students through a centralised admission test as the University Grants Commission is all set to introduce the new system to reduce hassles of admission seekers.

At least 17 controversial ward councillor candidates, all backed by the Awami League, emerged victorious in Saturday’s Dhaka city polls.