CONSEQUENCES OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND THEIR INIMIZATION: A CASE OF SHER-E-BANGLA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

Abstract

Executive Summary

The study was conducted to: i) determine the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on the students of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, ii) determine the extent of minimisation of the consequenceCOVID-19 pandemic by the university authority initiatives, and iii) determine the extent of self-secuand safety measures of the students of the university against COVID-19 pandemic. Key InformaInterviews (KII) were conducted with 20 Key Informants including Vice-Chancellor, DeDepartmental Chairmen, Controller of Examination and Registrar of the university by using sestructured interview schedule to identify the items of consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on students of the university and the items of initiatives taken by the authorities to minimize consequences. Data were gathered from 337 sample students by using a pre-tested structural intervschedule by face to face interview method during the period from February 2022 to April 2022general information, extent of consequences due to COVID-19 pandemic and minimization of consequences by university authority initiatives. Examination related data were collected from Office of the Controller of Examination and Academic section of the university. According descending order of Standardized Consequence Index, “Academic loss due to session jam” ranked followed by “disturbance in internet connection for online class and examination”; “frustration, tensand loneliness; “financial crisis due to losing tuition activity; “physical illness”; “social meaddiction”; “detach from study”; and “delaying entry into job”. “Academic loss due to session jam” the main consequences and other consequences were the intermediate consequences interlinked withmain consequence. University authority took several initiatives to minimize the consequencesCOVID-19 pandemic like “taking online classes and examinations for two to three sessions for eLevel and Semester of Undergraduate and Post Graduate programs”, “providing interest free loanstudents to purchase smart phone for joining in online class and examinations”, “provide students’ listhe Ministry of Health, Government of the Peoples Republic of Bangladesh for smooth vaccinationthe students”, and “providing regular information to the students by COVID Controlling Committethe university for maintaining self-security and safety measures against COVID-19 pandemic. Byinitiatives of the university authority, minimization of academic losses of the students admitted in 2were 25.39% in all the undergraduate programs and range of minimizing losses of the students admiin MS programs in January-June 2020 semesters in different departments was 12.87% to 56.35%.reduced rest session jam for making full session jam free academic programs of the univerrecommendations were made as “possible earlier admission of the students in different acadeprograms”, “strictly following the academic calendar for the programs”, “evaluation of the answer scof the examinations of the students by the teachers within a possible shortest time”, “tabulation publication of examination results within a possible shortest time”, “starting classes for next semejust immediate after examination of the previous semester”, “properly supervising MS and PhD reseaactivities by the Supervisors”, “timely evaluation of theses/dissertation of MS and PhD research wor and “timely arrangement of MS and PhD defense and publication of results within a shortest timUniversity authority provided regular information to the students by COVID Controlling Committethe University for maintaining self-security and safety measures against COVID-19 pandemic. Aresult, self-security & safety measures of the students against COVID-19 pandemic were satisfactorthe range of Standardized Self-security & Safety Measures (SISSM) was 43.03% to 96.14%. Such tof information providing system should be adopted by the authority to inform the students of university against any pandemic situation in future.