Students sitting in a classroom by maintaining social distance on Sunday, September 12, 2021 Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune

Authorities welcome students to classrooms after nearly 18 months of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic

Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Primary Education Completion (PEC) examinees attend classes on Sunday as the schools and colleges reopened maintaining guidelines and health protocols.

School authorities welcomed students to classrooms, following prolonged closure of nearly one and a half years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

After the reopening, the SSC and HSC examinees of 2020-2021, and the students of fifth standard will attend classes regularly, according to the government decision finalized at an inter-ministerial meeting at the cabinet division on Sunday.

"The students of grades 1-4 and 6-9 will attend classes once a week initially. Later, all the classes will be held regularly", said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni.

Now, only a few months remain for the SSC, HSC, and PEC candidates. Once their term comes to an end, at the end of the year, regular classes would start for Classes 9 and 11, she added.

No assembly will take place in any educational institution but some physical activities will be done considering the mental and physical health of the students.

The educational institutions are being opened on Sunday following all the directives and guidelines of the government. All kinds of health precautions have been taken, said Sheikh Aminur Rahman, Senior teacher, Birshreshtha Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College.

Arrangements have been made for the students to enter and exit the institution through two separate gates, he said, adding that “the necessity of discipline has long been emphasized to our students.”

Coordination meetings are held several times a month, but it has been intensified during the pandemic which will continue to run the academic activities smoothly, he furthered.

Meanwhile, Secondary and Higher Education Division (SHED) issued guidelines for the country's schools and colleges on how to prepare before opening institutions aiming to ensure health safety considering pandemic situations.

Each institution has already completed the preparatory activities following the 19-point guideline.

The guidelines include placing banners in front of each institution with the instructions that must be followed, giving a briefing to students on the guidelines and directives on the first day, ensuring regular temperature measurement of all teachers, students and staff, and preparing a room as an isolation center in each institution.

Educational institutions have also been asked to form a coordination committee consisting of teachers to ensure that the respective institution follows the guidelines and arrange a meeting with guardians and managing committee in this regard.

The guidelines also include maintaining a three-foot distance between students in the classroom, providing hand washing facilities, keeping each corner of the institution including the washroom, corridor, rooftop, and campus premises clean and tidy, and hosting a warm welcome for students on their first day.

Each institution was also asked to ensure participation of 100% students in the classroom and follow the instructions imposed by the government.