Education minister Dr Dipu Moni has said that the country's educational institutions will be ready to host students by September 9, before finally reopening three days later - bringing to an end what Unicef has called the world's second-longest schools closure due to Covid-19. “Ministry officials will complete field inspections within Sep 9 to observe whether the institutions are fully prepared to open their doors for students,” she said. “No one will be allowed entry to school and colleges without a mask after reopening. The parents will have to play a vital role in this,” she  added. Dipu Moni was speaking to the press after an inter-ministerial meeting at the cabinet division on Sunday. The decision to reopen all the primary, secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions on September 12 was finalised at the meeting. After the reopening, the SSC and HSC examinees of 2020-2021, and the students of class 5 will attend classes regularly while the students of class 1-4 and 6-9 will attend classes once a week initially, Dipu Moni further said. Eventually, all the classes will be held regularly. Also read: UNICEF welcomes Bangladesh’s decision on reopening schools

The Ministry of Education is planning to take classes one day a week after the reopening of schools and colleges on September 12, said Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel on Saturday. Nowfel said this while talking to journalists after attending a function at Chattogram Medical College and Hospital. “We’re hopeful of starting physical classes following the Education Minister’s announcement and our primary plan is to take classes one day a week but it may be changed,” he said. Also read: Schools, colleges to reopen on Sept 12: Dipu Moni  Efforts will continue to take the SSC and HSC exams through in-person presence with a brief syllabus but the assignment works will continue as before, he said.   The long closure of schools and colleges due to the Covid-19 pandemic has created a mental pressure on the students and there had been efforts to continue education online but that was not enough, Nowfel added.

Primary, secondary and higher secondary educational institutions in the country will reopen on September 12 after a prolonged closure, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Friday. “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. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to reopen all the schools, colleges, including madrasas, on September 12 as per the decision,” Dipu Moni said. Read: Schools, colleges to reopen on May 23 Regarding the opening of universities, the minister said the decision is still pending as the Vice Chancellors of public universities want to see all the students are vaccinated-- at least the first dose of Covid-19 vaccines. Read: School reopening awaits decision from the highest level, says state minister “We’ll hold another meeting with them. If they want, they can reopen with other educational institutions or fix another date following the decision of the syndicate committees of their universities,” said Dipu Moni.

The Education Ministry in a circular has strictly asked students and their guardians not to congregate in person at schools or educational institutes for the results of the HSC and equivalent exam results, that are due on Saturday, Jan 30th.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam on Monday said time has not come yet to reopen the educational institutions of the country.

Bangladesh Betar will start broadcasting lessons ‘Ghore bose shikhi’ for primary school students from August 12 so that students could continue academic activities amid the coronavirus pandemic.