The educational institutions from primary to higher secondary levels reopened across Bangladesh on Sunday in a festive environment with cases of violation of health regulations to prevent Covid-19 outbreak.
After visiting the Azimpur Government Girls High School and College, the education minister, Dipu Moni, suspended a Directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education officer and show-caused the principal of the school as the environment of the school did not qualify.
The authorities of different schools and colleges in the capital were seen following health regulations by ensuring wearing masks by all, arranging seats maintaining social distance and checking the temperature of the students.
Social distance was largely violated when the classes ended and guardians gathered outside the institutions to take the students back home.
Some even did not wear masks at all and many did not wear masks properly.
Earlier the education minister Dipu Moni on September 5 announced the decision to reopen the educational institutions after an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Cabinet Division at the Bangladesh Secretariat.
From Sunday, in-person classes will be held every day of the week for the candidates of the Secondary School Certificate, Higher Secondary Certificate and equivalent examinations for the 2021 and 2022 academic years and for the Class-V students.
The classes from Class I to Class IX will be held a day each week while the number of in-person classes will be increased if the coronavirus situation improves, as per the government decision.
However, educational institutions in flood-affected areas did not reopen on the day.
After visiting some schools, including Agrani School and College and Azimpur Government Girls High School and College at Azimpur, Udayan Higher Secondary School at Fuller Road, Government Laboratory High School besides Dhaka University, Nilkhet Government Primary School at Nilkhet, Khodeza Khatun Government Primary School at Banglamotor, Avoy Binodini High School in Basabo and Junior Laboratory High School at Dhanmondi, it was found that health regulations were strictly followed by the schools’ authorities and the students.
All the teachers and students attended classes wearing masks and the schools’ authorities set up hand washing arrangements for students.
Classes were held maintaining social distance and especially the main gates were decorated with balloons, colored papers and ribbons.
The authorities of some schools and colleges received their students with flowers and chocolates.
However, some institutions violated the health regulations.
The education minister in the morning visited the Azimpur Government Girls High School and College while it was seen that the authorities were not checking the body temperature of students before allowing them on the school campus.
In one class, the students were seen sitting next to each other while the back portion of the class was empty.
A Huge number of guardians were seen waiting in front of the school to take their children back without maintaining any social distance.
‘As the environment of the school did not qualify the health rules the principal was show-caused,’ the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education director general Professor Syed Md Golam Faruk told.
He also confirmed that order was given for suspension of the designated officer from the directorate for the same reason while they would take action in this regard.
Gathering of guardians were also seen in front of some schools, including Udayan Higher Secondary School at Fuller Road and Junior Laboratory High School at Dhanmondi.
Udayan Higher Secondary School principal Jahura Begum said that it was not possible for the school authorities to make guardians follow rules.
‘I have come from Mirpur and it’s not possible for me to go back to my home and come again later to take my daughter,’ said a guardian outside the school.
New Age correspondent in Magura reported that since morning students were going to schools and colleges in festive mood.
