'Schools, colleges not reopening on 23 May'

Educational institutions are not reopening on 23-24 May as the government is considering extending the ongoing restrictions for one more week.

The authorities earlier announced that secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions would reopen on 23 May while universities on 24 May.

According to high-ups at the education ministry, the government would not reopen the institutions for all rather the classes would resume for only SSC and HSC examinees at first.

Asked, deputy education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury told Prothom Alo on Saturday that it would not be possible to reopen educational institutions in accordance with the decision of the government since the authorities are considering extending the ongoing restrictions further.

The educational institutions have been shut for 14 months due to the outbreak of coronavirus infection in the country. The long hiatus in academic life has hindered the academic life of 45 million students.

According to a recent study, 19 per cent of students of primary level and 25 per cent of secondary level are at risk of learning loss.

In these circumstances, the educationists urge the authorities to take a long-term plan to recover the loss in the education sector. Many experts also suggested the authorities reopen the educational institutions in the lower risk areas.

The government decided to reopen schools and colleges on 23 May upon discussion with the technical advisory committee on Covid, but the recent second wave of coronavirus and concern over the Indian strain of the virus has changed the situation.