Parents, teachers and students are confused over whether or not to attend classes during the on-going exam season despite pledge from the 14-party alliance that educational institutions would be kept out of purview of the second phase of blockade to begin today.

While most English medium schools have chosen to remain shut during the political unrest, many Bangla medium schools have plans to continue classes. Viquarunnisa Noon authorities, a leading Bangla medium school in the city have asked students to travel 'by rickshaw' to sit for the remaining year-end final exams.

Most of the city's English medium schools, presently halfway through their academic year, have cancelled all vacations and weekends and have decided to take classes 'whenever possible'. Many English medium schools ran classes during the weekends. Some schools have cancelled their half-yearly exams and instructed students to prepare for the final exams six months away.

The Ideal School and College authority said their final exam of class I to VIII and test for SCC examinees are over and they will now take the exam of class IX and X.

The Holy Cross School will remain open for the SSC test while classes of the college section will be held during the blockade. The Holy Cross authorities held classes over the weekend.

Siddeshwari Girls College also plans to keep classes open during the blockade. Most parents are however confused over sending their wards to school during the political program.

Sadia Afreen, a Higher Secondary student of Holy Cross, said her parents would like to wait and see.

"For the first time the Holy Cross would remain open during blockade. My mother wants to observe the situation of the first day and decide wether to send me to college," said Afreen.

A parent and principal of Nelly's Homework, a tutorial in Dhanmondi, Nasira Morshed said that parents would never feel at ease to send their children to school during any political agitation.

"We heard that students would be 'spared' during the blockade programme if they wear uniforms but what about the teachers? And what about the parents who will accompany them to the school and go back home? What about those coming by car? Still many parents will take their wards to school but that will be risky," said Nasira Morshed.

"I like the system of taking classes over the weekends and make up for the losses. I think the schools should wait till the situation is pacified because it is risky for us to send our wards to schools in this situation," she said.

"As a parent I think all the schools should sit in a meeting to decide what they should do during the blockade and the decision of carrying on classes should be taken unanimously with due understanding with the political parties," said Morshed.

Yasmeen Habib, teacher-in-charge of Sunnydale, a leading English medium school in the city said that they had already cancelled winter vacation to make up for the lost days. The school has also cancelled its half-yearly exams and asked students to directly prepare for the final exams, six months away.

"We are not taking classes during the blockade because we cannot offer any guarantee to children on their way to school," Yasmeen Habib said.

Shahab Uddin, a senior teacher of Dhanmondi Tutorial said that the school would remain closed during the political agitation.

"Most of our students come to school by cars and many from distant places in the city so it will not be possible for us to ask them to come during the blockade," said Shahb Uddin.

Oxford School, another leading school in the city has taken some steps to cope with the ongoing stalemate.

"We have taken no definite decision due to the blockade. We have decided to wait and see how the dialogue between the political parties works out. But we have taken certain steps to cope with the current situation. Firstly, we have extended our school period to an extra 45 minutes. Secondly, we have shortened our winter vacation and thirdly, we have shortened the exam time. We have decided to complete taking all exams within seven days. We will follow these steps till everything settles down," said Mark Tarkinson, head of Oxford School.

"In the next two weeks we are going to start 'Study Skill Workshop' where the students will be taught some skills which will help them carry on with their studies at home. But as a teacher I think no matter what measures we take it is still important for a student to come to school," said Tarkinson.

In a press release Mastermind School said that they cancelled half yearly exams due to unavoidable circumstances, which was scheduled to start from today. However, the mock tests of the students who are going to sit for their O and A level exams in January will take place as usual.

Final year students of the Bangla medium schools in Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools are facing toughest times as they are preparing for the national board exam in March and April. Currently the students are sitting for the test exams or at the final stage of their course.