Teachers’ network to hold symbolic classes if universities not reopened from Sept

University Teachers' Network today announced they will hold symbolic classes in open spaces if the authorities do not reopen universities from first week of September.

They announced the protest during a virtual press conference today where they also proposed a roadmap on how to reopen campuses gradually.

According to the roadmap, the residential halls should be reopened immediately (from September 1) for honours and masters students. Once their exams are over, the following batches should get residential facilities step by step.

"No examination can be taken without ensuring residential facilities. Students who will stay in the halls and those who will come from home should participate in exams in separate rooms to curb Covid-19 transmission," said Chittagong University Assistant Professor Maidul Islam while presenting the keynote paper.

After completion of the exams, there could be a "hybrid system", where students should get the opportunity to participate in classes -- both online and offline. Fifty percent of the students could join online and rest could start regular classes in the classroom.

"If a student falls ill, he/she can join online," Maidul Islam added.

He said, "Gonoroom system" in halls should be abolished. Teachers should be the authority, and not the ruling party student wing, he added. Necessary steps should be taken to ensure hygiene rules under the supervision of the house tutors.

"Coronavirus disaster has given us the opportunity to renovate the halls," he added.

According to the keynote paper, Covid-19 testing and vaccination for students should be installed at campus medical centres on a priority basis. The capacity of medical centres, along with isolation facility, should be upgraded.

The University Teachers' Network also demanded starting an online teaching-learning management system for teachers and a separate committee in each university to train them.

They demanded measures necessary for mental wellbeing of teachers and students and high-speed internet at low cost.

Teachers also demanded identifying students who drop out and make arrangements for their safety net.

Dhaka University teacher, Prof Gitiara Nasreen, conducted the press conference.