United News of Bangladesh

The Ministry of Education is considering introducing both online and offline classes at the school level amid the global energy crisis. “A proposal in this regard will be placed before the Cabinet and a decision will be taken following discussions,” Education minister ANM Ehsanul Haque Milon told reporters in the morning after a meeting with Prime Minister Tareque Rahman at the Secretariat.  “The global crisis is not only affecting Bangladesh and we don’t know how long it will continue. That is why we are thinking of bringing our school system online and adapting a blended system,” he added. He said school hours have already been disrupted due to holidays during Ramadan and various other disturbances. “Previously, classes were held five days a week. Now, we have lost many sessions, so we are considering extending school hours to a six-day week. Meanwhile, due to the international fuel crisis we are also exploring the possibility of online classes at certain times,” he said. The minister added that a recent survey showed around 85% of respondents want online learning options but cautioned that fully shifting to online education could lead to social isolation among students. “We are thinking about a balanced approach,” he said. Earlier in the morning, Minister Milon and State Minister for Mass Education Bobby Hajja met with the Prime Minister at the secretariat.