The government has again extended the closure of all educational institutions in Bangladesh until February 14, aiming to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus infection as there has been no significant improvement in the pandemic situation in the country.
Education Minister Dipu Moni confirmed the matter in an official media release on Friday after consulting with others in this regard.
However, Qawmi madrasas will not be covered by this closure extension.
Earlier, State Minister of Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain on January 26 said educational institutions are likely to reopen any day in February after 11 months of closure forced by the coronavirus outbreak.
“We’re reopening all educational institutions in February. We’ll fix the time in accordance with the given guidelines of the Health Ministry and the Prime Minister. We’re planning to open the institutions in the first and second week of February,” he told reporters at the secretariat.
Zakir said the ministry has already issued a letter as part of the preparation to reopen and directed the institutes to follow certain guidelines as well.
The ministry is planning to hold regular classes one or two days a week. Fifth graders will come to schools one or two days and first to fourth graders will join classes one day a week in phases, the state minister said.
On January 24, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said Class X and Class XII will have to attend their classes regularly as the educational institutions of the country have been asked to take all the preparations for resuming classes by February 4.
“Directives have been given to make preparations for resuming classes by February 4. Initially, after the reopening of educational institutions, the regular classes of only Class X and Class XII will be held,” she said while speaking in Parliament about ‘Bangladesh Technical Education Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021' paving the way to publish the results of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations.
On March 16, the government announced the closure of all educational institutions to prevent the spread of coronavirus. No classes have been held since March 17 and the closure has been extended several times in the past months.
Although activities at both government and private offices were gradually restored, educational institutions have not been reopened.
The duration of previously announced closure of educational institutions is scheduled to end on January 30.
