Dhaka College students demand to keep higher secondary teaching unchanged

Students of Dhaka College have staged protest programmes, leading a procession to the Central Shaheed Minar demanding the college keep its higher secondary study option and independence unchanged.

On Monday afternoon, the procession marched from the college campus to the Central Shaheed Minar, chanting objections to the published draft of the Central University ordinance.

Walid Hasan Rahim, a higher secondary student at Dhaka College, told bdnews24.com: "If the draft of the Dhaka Central University ordinance is implemented, Dhaka College may lose the study option of higher secondary level in the future. Higher secondary study is our tradition. We are staging a protest to maintain it."

"The draft ordinance does not mention eliminating the higher secondary level, but this model of higher secondary level will not last long. We are protesting with that in mind."

Previously, students of the seven colleges affiliated with Dhaka University announced a “Long March to Shikkha Bhaban” and placed a demand to issue the “Dhaka Central University” ordinance soon. They conducted a sit-on protest programme near the Shikkha Bhaban.

The process of forming Dhaka Central University, combining seven colleges in the capital, is under way. The Secondary and Higher Education Department of the Ministry of Education published a draft ordinance on Sept 24 proposing the academic and administrative structure of the university and sought opinions from stakeholders. They collected opinions directly and through email until Oct 9.

On Sunday, the education ministry said more than 6,000 opinions have reached them.

The ministry said that the work of compiling and analysing the opinions was going on, and the process would be completed quickly and a series of consultation meetings will be organised soon with stakeholders, including teachers, students, educators, and representatives of education-related members of civil society.

Dhaka Central University will combine Dhaka College, Government Bangla College, Government Titumir College, Eden Mohila College, Kabi Nazrul Government College, Government Shaheed Suhrawardy College, and Begum Badrunnesa Government Girls’ College. Students are protesting in favour of quickly securing the legal framework for the new university.

Meanwhile, higher secondary students of Dhaka College held a procession and blocked the road for several minutes at the Science Lab area on Sunday morning, demanding the educational institution remain as it is.

The teachers who belong to the BCS general education cadre took a stance against the formation of the university proposed under a schooling system.