City school students forced to attend human chains against hartal
Some teachers said that local lawmakers in a meeting on Sunday with the school authorities had instructed them to form human chains and to take classes today
Mushfique Wadud
Guardians and students in different parts of the city alleged on Monday that school students were forced to attend human chains formed on important city roads on Monday to campaign against hartals.Guardians said that their children had to suffer a lot standing for a long time in human chains in the sun..(The New Age BD)
School teachers also alleged that local lawmakers belonging to the ruling party had asked authorities of different schools to take classes today.
Some teachers said that local lawmakers in a meeting on Sunday with the school authorities had instructed them to form human chains and to take classes today.
The draft National Child Policy-2010 prohibited the use of children in political activities. State minister for women and children affairs Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said at a press briefing on September 15 that the new policy would prohibit use of children in political activities like processions and pickets.
Students of National Bangla High School formed a human chain on the roads adjacent to the school at Mirpur-2 at about 3:00pm on Monday. 'All teachers and students were instructed strictly on the previous day to attend the human chain,' said a teacher who wanted not to be identified. He told New Age that the local lawmaker had asked them to form the human chain. Students attending the human chain said that they had dropped their regular classes to attend the programme. 'We had to stand in the sun for over an hour. Some students fell sick,' said a student who wanted not to be named.
Another human chain was formed at Mirpur-10. Students of the nearby schools attended it. 'I do not understand why school students are used in political programmes,' a guardian who witnessed the human chain told New Age.
A similar human chain was formed on the Residential Model School and College premises where students of the neighbourhoods attended, said locals. Many such human chains were formed in different parts of the city.
Guardians also said that school authorities in different parts of the city had decided to take classes today because of the instruction of local lawmakers. 'Who will take the responsibility if anything happens to a student,' said a teacher in Mirpur area.
'As far as I am concerned, no previous government had done so. School students should not be used in politics. It is not acceptable. It will cause harm to the whole education system,' Salim Bhuiyan, president of Bangladesh Teachers Employers United Alliance, told New Age on Monday.
'Using students in such activities, is in no way, acceptable no matter who did it,' said education minister Nurul Islam Nahid. 'I instructed the school authorities not to form any human chain to welcome me when I visit any school,' he said.
'….. Action would be taken against the institutions if they have forced students to join the human chains,' the education minister told New Age on Monday.
School teachers also alleged that local lawmakers belonging to the ruling party had asked authorities of different schools to take classes today.
Some teachers said that local lawmakers in a meeting on Sunday with the school authorities had instructed them to form human chains and to take classes today.
The draft National Child Policy-2010 prohibited the use of children in political activities. State minister for women and children affairs Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury said at a press briefing on September 15 that the new policy would prohibit use of children in political activities like processions and pickets.
Students of National Bangla High School formed a human chain on the roads adjacent to the school at Mirpur-2 at about 3:00pm on Monday. 'All teachers and students were instructed strictly on the previous day to attend the human chain,' said a teacher who wanted not to be identified. He told New Age that the local lawmaker had asked them to form the human chain. Students attending the human chain said that they had dropped their regular classes to attend the programme. 'We had to stand in the sun for over an hour. Some students fell sick,' said a student who wanted not to be named.
Another human chain was formed at Mirpur-10. Students of the nearby schools attended it. 'I do not understand why school students are used in political programmes,' a guardian who witnessed the human chain told New Age.
A similar human chain was formed on the Residential Model School and College premises where students of the neighbourhoods attended, said locals. Many such human chains were formed in different parts of the city.
Guardians also said that school authorities in different parts of the city had decided to take classes today because of the instruction of local lawmakers. 'Who will take the responsibility if anything happens to a student,' said a teacher in Mirpur area.
'As far as I am concerned, no previous government had done so. School students should not be used in politics. It is not acceptable. It will cause harm to the whole education system,' Salim Bhuiyan, president of Bangladesh Teachers Employers United Alliance, told New Age on Monday.
'Using students in such activities, is in no way, acceptable no matter who did it,' said education minister Nurul Islam Nahid. 'I instructed the school authorities not to form any human chain to welcome me when I visit any school,' he said.
'….. Action would be taken against the institutions if they have forced students to join the human chains,' the education minister told New Age on Monday.
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