Country’s university students have heaved sigh of relief as the long wait for reopening educational institutions is finally going to over in mid October. And they are now very much delighted to know that they would be allowed to return to face-to-face learning at their respective campuses after the nineteen months closure of educational institutions caused by Covid-19 pandemic.
The university authorities have already taken all-out preparations and if the prime minister orders them today they are prepared to welcome the students back to the campuses tomorrow. University authorities must complete vaccination of all students, teachers and staff by September 15 in order to resume academic activities from October 15 as per the University Grants Commission’s instruction. Reportedly, all the universities can resume in-person classes from October 15 only after vaccinating all their students, teachers and staffs. No university would to allowed to resume academic activities in-person without ensuring inoculation of all the students.
University authorities must complete vaccination of
all students, teachers and staff in order to resume
academic activities from October 15
On March 17, 2020 the government closed the educational institutions due to the pandemic and extended the closure in several phases. And no classes have been held since then. And the ongoing closure of secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions has again been extended till September 11 next. The government had taken the initiative several times to reopen the educational institutions. But a sharp rise in Covid-19 infections and deaths compelled the government to backtrack from its decision regarding reopening of the educational institutions as it does not want to put the students lives at risk.
We appreciate the government’s decision to reopen the universities. Unicef and Unesco have called for the reopening of schools saying it has been 18 months since the Covid-19 outbreak started and education for millions of children is still disrupted. It needs no mentioning that the losses that students have incur from not being in university may never be recovered. Arrangements should be made to vaccinate those who do not have NID. Besides, after reopening dormitories, health guidelines and physical distancing will also have to be ensured by the respective university authorities.
