The schedule of the postponed Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent examinations will be announced two weeks after distribution of textbooks among the students in the flood-hit districts, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Wednesday.

There have been extensive damages due to the recent devastating flood and it was not possible to save the textbooks in the flood area, she told the reporters at the Secretariat.

“We need to ascertain how many books will be needed in these areas first. If necessary we will print textbooks.”

Once  the distribution of books is completed, the students need a little time to prepare themselves for the exams she added.

Read: Floods in the northeast throw over 4.55 lakh students in Sylhet div into uncertainty

The SSC and its equivalent examinations, under all the education boards scheduled to begin on June 19, were postponed due to the flood situation in the country on June 17.

About the rapid surge of Covid-19, the minister said if they can vaccinate the students below 12, they will keep the educational institutions open. “At this moment, schools will not be closed. Decision will be taken seeing the situation.”

Meanwhile, regarding the teacher’s humiliation in Narail, the minister said a vested quarter is trying to create communal issues at the educational institutions.

“Respecting teachers is the responsibility of everyone including the people's representatives and it is not the responsibility of the Education Ministry only.”

Read: Sylhet records highest rainfall in June in 62 years

Besides, the teachers needs counseling, she said adding primarily two lakh teachers will be counseled and so far 12,000 teachers have received training in this regard.

Regarding the Prime Minister’s declaration of 2716 privately run educational institutions eligible for monthly payment order (MPO), Dipu Moni said, “If any information provided by those institutions for MPO enlistment are found false, then their MPO will be canceled.”

Among the new MPO beneficiaries are 666 lower secondary schools, 1122 secondary schools, 136 higher secondary schools, 109 higher secondary colleges and 18 degree colleges.

The new MPO list also includes some 665 educational institutions under the vocational and madrassa education board.

The newly listed MPO educational institutions can be seen on the website today, she added.