Full In-Person Classes at Secondary Schools to Start Mid-March: Dipu Moni

In-person classes at all secondary schools may start fully from mid of this month as the Covid cases are declining, said Education Minister Dipu Moni on Friday, reports UNB. 

“We hope to start classes in full swing in the middle of this month,” Dipu told reporters after attending 'Study in India' event hosted by Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

She said, “We are evaluating students gradually. We will give assignments to the students if needed.”

She hoped that the classes of secondary schools will return to normal within a short time. She also spoke about 'blended learning'.

"We are preparing a national policy in this regard," said Dipu adding that she will hand it over to the prime minister on March 26.

Regarding the admission in medical colleges on a short syllabus, the minister said the test should be held in the revised syllabus. “I have talked to Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) about this, I will talk again.”

Earlier, the minister visited the stalls of various universities of India at the event where the study environment and facilities for the Bangladeshi students in those universities were displayed.

In this regard, the education minister said, "If Indian students come to study in Bangladesh and if Bangladeshi students go to study in India, the relationship between the two countries will be further strengthened along with the exchange of knowledge."

Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Vikram Kumar Doraiswami was also present at the event.

After a month-long closure, all secondary, higher secondary and university-level institutions in Bangladesh reopened on February 22 for physical classes with strict Covid-safety protocols in place.

However, primary schools in Bangladesh reopened for in-person classes on Tuesday.

Students aged 12 and above who have been vaccinated with the second dose of a Covid vaccine were instructed to be able to physically attend the classes, while those who have got the first dose will attend online classes, Dipu had earlier said.

On January 21, the government announced that all schools and colleges in Bangladesh would remain closed from January 21 to February 6 amid a renewed surge in Covid-19 cases largely due to the new Omicron variant.

The shutdown was extended till February 20 for the safety of the students as the virus continued to spread.

After a 17-month Covid-induced closure, students in Bangladesh returned to their classrooms on September 12 last year.