Schools, colleges set to reopen tomorrow

The country’s primary, secondary and higher secondary educational institutions will resume in-person academic activities from Sunday after an 18-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With the authorities recording a drop in Covid-19 cases and deaths in recent weeks, the government decided to reopen all educational institutions except universities in phases across the country.

After the reopening, the Secondary School Certificate and Higher Secondary School Certificate examinees of 2020-2021 session, and the Primary Education Completion examinees will attend classes regularly while the students of grades I-IV and VI-IX will attend classes once a week initially.

The government shuttered all educational institutions in March last year to halt the spread of Covid-19. The prolonged closure affected over 40 million students from the pre-primary to the higher education level, according to a UNICEF report released last month. It noted that the longer children remain out of school, the less likely they are to return as they face increased risks of violence, child labour and child marriage. 

“Mounting pressure from various quarters prompted the government to take the reopening decision. The government should come up with a clear guideline,” said Prof Dr Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan of the Department of International Relations of Dhaka University.

He said open air classes need to be introduced as it would help restrict the Covid-19 infections among teachers and students all of whom should be vaccinated. 

“I think it will be a big challenge for the authorities concerned to strictly monitor whether the health guidelines are being followed or not at all the educational institutions,” he said.

“The government should fix the priorities for our education system. We still don’t know what will happen if the coronavirus infection rate increases again. The online class system is not at all effective in the long run. Besides, electronic devices, which are used for online classes, are also harmful to eyes,” Tanzimuddin told The Business Post.

Rajuk Uttara Model College Vice-Principal Khandakar Anisul Haque said they had taken preparation for the reopening and would follow health guidelines set by the government.

On Friday, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said schools and colleges would be closed again if the coronavirus infection rate increases. He also said that the opening and closure depends on the infection rate.

On September 7, the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 recommending vaccinating at least 80 per cent of teachers and staff in schools and educational institutions. It also suggested a strict implementation of health rules.

Education Minister Dipu Moni on September 5 said the government had decided to hold regular classes for SSC, HSC and fifth graders. She said the students of class-I to class-IV would have to come to schools once a week.

“Wholeheartedly” welcoming the decision, UNICEF Bangladesh Representative Tomoo Hozumi said they would continue to work closely with the government to keep schools open safely. 

In March this year, UNICEF said schools for more than 168 million children globally had been completely closed for almost an entire year due to lockdowns. Furthermore, around 214 million children globally, or one in seven, have missed more than three-quarters of their in-person learning.

“Schools closures and lack of in-person teaching and learning activities have an extremely serious impact not only on children’s education but also on their health, protection and psychosocial well-being,” said Hozumi.