Schools, colleges asked to prepare for reopening

The education authorities have issued some guidelines as part of preparations to reopen educational institutions which have remained closed since March last year due to Covid pandemic, reports news agency UNB.

The teachers of primary schools have been instructed to return to their work places from Tuesday. Besides, the Directorate of Primary Education asked the upazila and thana education officers to inspect the schools under their jurisdiction within a week.

The authorities concerned also gave instructions to keep the institutions clean and tidy by taking utmost care to prevent dengue.

The primary school authorities were instructed to prepare their wash block accordingly.

Apart from that, the Directorate of Secondary & Higher Education (DSHE) has asked the regional directors to take necessary preparations to reopen schools and colleges.

According to education ministry sources, most of the teachers and staffers of the educational institutions have been vaccinated.

Meanwhile, sources within the University Grants Commission (UGC) claimed that around 80 per cent students of Dhaka University have been vaccinated.

However schools and other educational institutions would reopen only after the covid positivity rate comes below 5 per cent, said a source of the education ministry.

In that case, the closure of schools might be extended again.

Professor Shahedul Kabir Chowdhury, director of DSHE, said the regional directors were asked to inspect and submit a report on the final preparations on resuming academic activities at educational institutions.

Director general of the Directorate of Primary Education, Alamgir Md Mansurul Alam said teachers have been told to return to schools.

"We also instructed our officials to visit respective educational institutions and submit a report on preparations to reopen. Failure to do so will result in administrative actions, "he added.