Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Wednesday urged the Dhaka University authorities to conduct more researches on socio-economic fields and establish cooperation with reputed foreign universities for academic excellence. This can be done under an academic master plan, she said while speaking at the centenary celebration of the country’s oldest university. Read: Degrees not enough, achieve global standards, President tells DU students She said the century-old university needs to restore its past glory through imparting quality education and conducting international standard researches. She said that making a master plan on the academic programme is more important that a master plan on physical development. The minister said the government will cooperate with the university if it adopts the academic master plan.

Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni has said quality higher education has now become a necessity to develop a progressive future generation. She emphasized the importance of quality higher education while officially inaugurating the state-of-the-art campus of Universal College Bangladesh (UCB), which is the exclusive partner of globally reputed Monash College, Australia. “In order to thrive in this fast-paced world, we need to focus on ensuring the best possible education facilities for our young generation. Developed countries are equipped with those capabilities due to their strong financial backup, but I firmly believe that we can also ensure better educational facilities with the collective efforts from everyone, and I thank UCB for stepping up,” Dr Dipu Moni said at the event on Sunday. Read:No room to defy Covid norms at schools, colleges: Dipu Moni Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi joined the ceremony as the special guest while Deputy Minister of Education Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel, Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Jeremy Bruer and UCB Group CEO Dr Sandeep Ananthanarayanan joined as the guests of honour. The ceremony featured a landmark presentation on STS Knowledge City in addition to keynote speeches by distinguished guests and additional presentations from UCB dean of academic affairs Sarwar Uddin Ahmed and UCB head of marketing Amid Hossain Chowdhury. STS Group is the same company that brought ISD and DPS STS Schools to Bangladesh, as well as healthcare through the Evercare Group of Hospitals and now international education through Universal College Bangladesh. Monash University, the latest collaborative partner of UCB, is a world top-100 ranked university, according to the QS 2022 rankings. Read: Will make up whatever students missed out on during closure: Dipu Moni “We are very thankful to Dr Dipu Moni for her forethought and vision in helping transform the education landscape of Bangladesh. Universal College Bangladesh is bringing to the doorsteps of Bangladeshi students affordable, world-class international education, thereby not only expanding future possibilities for domestic students, but also saving the nation’s foreign exchange outflow significantly,” said Bob Kundanmal, chairman of Universal College Bangladesh. The UCB is the exclusive partner of Monash College, Australia, and the only Ministry of Education-approved international education provider in Bangladesh. “‘On completion of their programmes at UCB, students get 100 per cent guaranteed entry into Monash University Australia and Malaysia,” Zarif Munir, director of Universal College Bangladesh informed at the event. Students can jumpstart their journey to a degree at Monash University immediately after their O, AS, A or HSC levels by joining Monash College programs in Bangladesh at UCB, while receiving the same global academic curriculum with extremely cost-effective tuition fees, according to UCB.

Just a day before the reopening of educational intuitions after a prolonged Covid-related closure, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Saturday said the schools may be shut again if Coronavirus cases go up. Dipu Moni came up with the remark while talking to local journalists at Jamalpur Circuit House. Read: School gear up to reopen from Sunday  The education minister came here to join the triennial conference of district Awami League. “Educational institutions are going to reopen after a long 17-month of closure. All the health protocols will be maintained in the classrooms of all educational institutions. In the  case of a widespread rise in infections, we’ll take necessary measures and those will be closed again, if required,” she said.

Flooding has swamped 10 schools in Goalanda upazila making uncertain their reopening along with other educational institutions next week after over 17 months of Covid-induced closure. The authorities at these schools - nine primary and one secondary - are in a fix since the premises these schools are still under water, according to sources at Upazila Primary Education Office. Water has entered into even some classrooms. The authorities can’t decide on whether to ask the students to return to classrooms or wait until the flood water recedes. Good news is that floods have started easing in the area with water level in Padma River dropping. Read Fight the Flood: Safety measures to take before, during, after floods in Bangladesh According to the Goalanda Water Development Board, Padma River was flowing 62 centimetres above its danger level at Goalanda point even after it started receding. Masudur Rahman, Upazila Secondary Education Officer, said “The school ground of Daulatdia Akkass Ali High School went under water and if the flood situation improves we hope that we can take classes on September 12.” Primary Education Officer Mohammad Kabir Hossain, said “Nine school grounds are under water in the upazila while the classrooms of the schools were also inundated. The Padma river water started to recede for the past two days and we are hopeful about taking classes. But if the situation does not improve, it will be difficult to take classes.” Also read: School playground turns into waterbody The flood-hit schools are No 11 Chandkhan Para Government Primary School in Daulatdia, Char Daulatdia Government Primary School, Tenapocha Government Primary School, Betka Government Primary School, Bethuri Government Primary School, Ujanchar Majlishpur Government Primary School, Daulatdia Ghat Government Primary School and Shahjuddin Matubbar Para Government Primary School and a high school in the area. Education minister Dr Dipu Moni has already said that the country's educational institutions will be ready to host students by September 9, before finally reopening three days later -- bringing an end to what Unicef has called the world's second-longest schools closure due to Covid-19. “Ministry officials will complete field inspections within September 9 to observe whether the institutions are fully prepared to open their doors for students,” she said, after an inter-ministerial meeting at the cabinet division on September 5. Also read: More of a pond than a school playground The decision to reopen all the primary, secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions on September 12 was finalised at the meeting. Abu Syed Mandal, Upazila Project Implementation officer at Goalanda, said some 4,000 people have been marooned as flood situation in the upazila remained unchanged, causing immense sufferings to the people. The government has distributed 36 metric tonnes of rice among the flood-hit people in the upazila in two phases.  Read Faridpur flood: Over 2000ha cropland submerged for nearly four weeks

UNICEF has "wholeheartedly" welcomed the decision by the government of Bangladesh to reopen schools. “Together with other development partners, we will continue to work closely with the government to keep schools open safely," said Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Representative in Bangladesh on Sunday. Read: Schools, colleges to reopen on Sept 12: Dipu Moni Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said on Friday said  primary, secondary, and higher secondary educational institutions in the country will reopen on September 12. “The decision was taken in a joint meeting of the Education Ministry, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the National Technical Advisory Committee held on Thursday night,” she said at a function in Chandpur Sadar upazila. UN Resident Coordinator in Dhaka Mia Seppo joined the UNICEF in welcoming Bangladesh decision to safely reopen schools. "(It's) Important to give special consideration to the children who are the hardest to reach and who have the biggest challenges catching up on lost learning," she tweeted.

Kurigram Agricultural University Bill, 2021 was placed in Parliament on Monday to develop agriculture in the northern districts through research. Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni placed the Bill and it was sent to the respective scrutiny committee for further examination. Read: Bill placed in JS to provide better healthcare services to children The Committee was asked to submit its report within one month. It’ll be a prototype of the existing agricultural universities. Now there are 153 universities – 46 public and 107 private —in the country. Read: Medical College (Governing Bodies) (Repeal), Bill 2021 placed in parliament The President of the country will be the Chancellor of the university. Person involved in agricultural education and research or professor of any university  will be appointed as Vice-Chancellor for four years. But the VC will not be appointed for more than two terms. Read:Medical Degrees (Repeal) Bill placed in JS The same rules will be followed in  appointing pro-VC and Treasurer. Person having  20 years experience of teaching or administrative or financial management will be appointed as treasurer.

The government has decided to reopen educational institutions, particularly primary, secondary and higher secondary ones, in Bangladesh on June 13 if the Covid-19 situation does not deteriorate. “We’ve decided to reopen all the educational institutions -- primary, secondary and higher secondary ones -- on June 13. We expect the situation to be much more favourable by the time,” said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni at a virtual press conference on Wednesday. About reopening universities, the Education Minister said the decision will be taken in consultation with the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the university authorities. Read: Educational institutions must abide by constitution, law: HC The minister, however, said reopening of public universities depends on vaccination among their resident students, teachers and staff. “The reopening of universities may slightly depend on vaccination,” she said, adding that the government will soon start vaccination among resident students, teachers, officers and employees of universities on a priority basis.     Initially, the institutions will remain open for six days a week for the class-V students as well as SSC and HSC candidates of 2021 and 2022, while for one day for the students of other classes. The number of classroom lectures will increase gradually for the students of other classes, she said. The government has already taken preparations so that the SSC and HSC examinees for 2021 can sit for their examinations attending the classes for 60 days and 84 days respectively. And their syllabuses were shortened accordingly. The examinations will begin at least two weeks after the classes, the minister added. Read Schools, colleges likely to remain closed until Eid: Dipu The periods for in-person classes will be 150 days and 180 days for SSC and HSC candidates of 2022. The syllabuses for the examinees of 2022 have also been shortened. Dipu Moni urged all to follow the health guidelines and thus help the government create a favourable environment for reopening the educational institutions. “On one hand, we ask for reopening educational institutions and increase the (Covid-19) infection rate on the other hand by not following the health guidelines. These two things can't go together,” she said. The minister said the online and television-based teaching and assignment-based academic activity are going on amid the ongoing closure of educational institutions. Read Japan's role key to Bangladesh's further development: Dipu Moni She said the Covid-19 infection rate has risen slightly due to the recent mass exodus during the Eid holidays. “The infection rate has risen suddenly in some districts. Keeping such issues in mind, we’re extending the closure of our educational institutions until June 12. We hope the situation will improve by the time, and then we can reopen the institutions,” she said.    The minister, however, said the government will reopen the educational institutions on the basis of adequate data and favourable opinions. She said the government takes its decision following discussions with the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19. “We’ll take the decision (on reopening the educational institutions) based on discussions with them this time, too,” she added.  Read: Assess situation before reopening educational institutions: PM According to expert views, if the Covid-19 infection rate remains within 5 percent, it will create a favourable situation to reopen educational institutions, Dipu Moni added. In reply to a question about the JSC examinations, the minister said if the situation remains conducive, the government will hold examinations, or else, those would be assignment-based ones. She said the government has collected data of the dropped-out students and now those are being analysed. “So, we’ll soon get a complete report on it (dropout),” she added.   Replying to another question, Dr Dipu Moni said there is a slim chance to give auto-pass to the SSC and HSC candidates of 2021 unlike the HSC candidates of 2020. Read Students protest, demand re-opening of their institutions  She said the HSC candidates of 2020 had joined the classes for full two years, sat for pre-tests and taken all-out preparations for the examinations, but the exams were postponed just a few days ago. This time, she said, the SSC and HSC candidates could not attend their normal classes throughout last year. “So, the scope to give them an auto-pass is very thin.” Speaking at the press conference, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Md Zakir Hossain said the primary schools will also be reopened on June 13 next. “It won’t be a bad decision if we reopen the schools making sure that health rules are followed,” he said. Initially, the schools will remain open for six days a week for the class-V students, while one day for class-I to class-IV students, said the state minister. The government shut the educational institutions on March 17, 2020 after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8. Then the closure was extended several times, most recently until May 29, 2021. Read:Bangladesh braces for worst Covid outbreak by June-end: Experts Covid situation in Bangladesh Bangladesh witnessed a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases and fatalities as it recorded 40 more deaths and 1,675 cases in 24 hours until Tuesday morning. The Covid positivity rate rose to 10.08 percent again during the period after remaining below 10 percent since May 15. The country had been seeing below 40 deaths since May 13. Health authorities registered 1,675 new cases after testing 16,624 samples during the 24-hour period. Besides, the mortality rate remained static at 1.57 percent, said a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). Read Prof Mahmood Hossain new Vice-Chancellor of Khulna University

Schools and colleges across the country are likely to remain shut until Eid-ul-Fitr vacation if the recent spike in Coronavirus infections continues, said Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni on Thursday. “The closure of primary, secondary and higher secondary-level institutions is likely to be extended until Eid-ul-Fitr like universities if the coronavirus cases continue to rise. A decision in this regard will be taken after a meeting with the National Technical Advisory Committee formed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said. Also read: Covid-19: Educational institutions reopening may be delayed The decision over reopening of the schools and colleges will be revealed by tomorrow (Friday), said the minister while talking to reporters after attending a meeting arranged at Bangabandhu Avenue, marking Genocide Day. The government shut educational institutions on March 17 last year after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8. The closure was extended several times, most recently until late March this year. On February 22 the education minister announced that university classes will resume on May 24. University dormitories were scheduled to be reopened on May 17. Besides, classes in all primary, secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions were scheduled to resume on March 30. Also read: Bangladesh's daily Covid-19 cases stay over 1,000 for 3 days Meanwhile, Covid-19 claimed 25 more lives and infected 3,567 others in 24 hours till Wednesday morning amid an alarming spike in cases over the past few weeks in Bangladesh. The coronavirus fatalities rose to 8,763 with the latest figure while the new cases pushed the total infections to 580,808, according to a handout of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS). With the fresh 3,537 cases, Bangladesh has seen the worst daily increase in daily numbers for the second consecutive day since July 15, 2020. The free movement of people ignoring health protocols is believed to be the reason behind the recent upsurge in cases.

Heaping praise on Japan for its contribution to Bangladesh's development, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni has said further bilateral cooperation is crucial for this country to graduate to a developing nation.

The results of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent exams of 2020 were published on Saturday.