Education Minister Barrister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel said on Tuesday that educational institutions will be kept open on Fridays if needed to end syllabuses according to curriculums.
“If I have to keep it open on Friday to achieve what we need to do with education, I have to keep it open,” he said.
He made the remarks while talking to journalists at the latter’s office in the secretariat in Dhaka.
"We now have 185 working days. We have been kept there for 20 days for evaluation. Five days for the national days, and we will make readjustments on the extra days. It's hard to keep the education calendar steady,” said the minister.
Asked about the High Court order on the closure of educational institutions, Nowfel said they are respectful to the court's decision. The court's decision will be followed until an appeal is filed.
He said educational institutions suffer more loss in rural areas than in cities when they are closed due to natural disasters and other holidays. Decisions on school openings and closings will be taken district-wise from now on.
Educational institutions will not be closed or opened collectively countrywide anymore, he observed.
On Monday, the HC ordered the closure of primary and secondary schools and madrasas till Thursday due to heatwave in the country.
All secondary schools, colleges, madrasas and technical educational institutions were ordered to remain closed on Monday following the advice from the Ministry of Health and the Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
On Sunday, the Education Ministry in a circular said that educational institutions having air conditioning were allowed to operate if authorities wanted.
The country has continued to experience a heat wave for the past few days while deaths of people from heat stroke are reported every day.
The decision to open educational institutions amid the scorching heat sparked huge criticism among all in the country.
In this situation, the HC on Monday ordered the closure of the educational institutions until Thursday.
