The lottery system for the admission in Class I at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College and some city government schools has drawn mixed reaction from the guardians.
Those whose children got chance to be admitted hailed the system, while guardians whose children did not get chance criticised the system saying it ignores the merit of students.
On Tuesday, the lottery was drawn at the main branch of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College on Bailey Road.
The lottery for the admission seekers under the ‘sister quota’ of all branches, Azimpur residential area quota and Bashundhara morning and day shift, Dhanmondhi branch and Azimpur branch was held on Tuesday.
The lottery for Class I students in the Group A city government schools was also drawn on Tuesday.
The electrical and electronic engineering department of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology conducted the lottery on the main campus of the school.
From the morning, guardians crowded the school premises. When a name was announced, the winner’s guardian shouted with joy.
A guardian, Nafiza Jahan, heard the name of her child being announced but she could not believe her hearing and went to the dais to confirm it.
‘I heard that my child’s name was announced but I could not believe my hearing and so I have come to the dais to be sure,’ she told New Age. Later, the principal confirmed that her daughter had won the lottery.
Admission seeker Nur Mahi was playing in front of the dais. On hearing her name, she shouted and danced there.
Guardians whose children’s names were not announced slated the system.
‘In this system, you cannot evaluate the merit of the children,’ said Anwar Hossain, a guardian.
Some even questioned the validity of the system. ‘We do not understand how the lottery is being conducted. The system lacks accountability,’ said a guardian, wishing anonymity.
‘The lottery is being held in a fair way. There is no scope for allegation about the system as the electrical and electronic engineering department of BUET is conducting the lottery,’ the Viqarunnisa Noon School and College principal, Husne Ara Begum, told New Age.
‘This is like a revolution. The lottery was introduced to give the tender-aged children relief from the hassle involved in admission test,’ she said.
Among others, state minister for housing and public works Abdul Mannan Khan and school governing body chairman Rashed Khan Menon were present at the inauguration of the lottery.
The lottery for English medium, main branch day shift, main branch morning shift of the school will be held today.
The lottery for group B city government schools will be drawn today and that group C tomorrow.
