The two education ministries of the government have taken various measures to open educational institutions soon. However, no final decision has been taken yet, said Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam.
However, sources in the Ministry of Education and various departments said, preparations are being made to open educational institutions step by step from September, if possible.
The cabinet secretary was briefing journalists following a virtual cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday.
When asked about the government's plan on opening educational institutions, the cabinet secretary said, "It will be decided by the education ministry after discussion. Vaccination is being strengthened earlier so that the students can be jabbed as well."
As a part of this, the heads of the educational institutions have been instructed to clean the educational institutions every two days. In addition, immunization for teachers at all levels are being expedited. Vaccination of university level students has started already.
Secretary of the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, under the Ministry of Education Mohammad Mahbub Hossain said in this regard that the ministry has recently written a letter asking to keep the school and college campuses and classrooms clean and tidy every two days.
The heads of the educational institutions have been instructed therefore. Vaccination activities are also underway. An announcement will be made whenever the situation is favourable to open educational institutions.
Education officials say, once open, the final examinations of the undergraduate and postgraduate universities will be completed first. Students waiting to get admitted to universities may then sit in the first year admission test. Finally, colleges and schools will be opened.
Speaking at a recent press conference on education, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Mohammad Zakir Hossain said, "We have suffered huge losses due to the closure of educational institutions for 17 months. If the infection rate drops, they will be soon opened. Students need to go to their classrooms."
However, all plans depend on how many students can be vaccinated in the next one month.
The Ministry of Education is in talks with the Ministry of Health to vaccinate college students after university, though not for school-going children at the moment. Meanwhile, the Department of Primary Education has directed to complete the vaccination of 440,000 primary teachers across the country by August 11.
According to department sources, vaccination of teachers has already been almost completed. About 84,000 non-vaccinated private teachers will be vaccinated by August.
Earlier on August 7, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said that all government teachers had been vaccinated. Out of 3,63,222 teachers and employees of private educational institutions, 2,78,426 have been vaccinated. There are about 84,000 left.
Besides, more than 34,000 teachers of the university have registered for vaccination, out of which more than 30,000 have been vaccinated.
If the situation in Corona improves, Education Minister Dipu Moni has already announced plans to take SSC examination in November and HSC examination in December. However, the minister did not clarify whether the students of this stage will be brought under the vaccine or not.
Educational institutions have been closed since March 17 last year after coronavirus patients were identified in Bangladesh. This closure period has been extended in several stages. In the latest announcement, the holiday has been extended till August 31.
