Confusion as directorate revises temperature in notice on possible school closure in winter

For school closure, the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education says, the highest temperature of a district has to fall below 10 degrees Celsius, not 17

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has caused confusion with conflicting guidelines about the temperature threshold for school closures to save students from bitter winter cold.

Initially, a notice issued on Tuesday afternoon mandated the possible suspension of classes in secondary schools in any district where the highest temperature falls below 17 degrees Celsius.

This decision was based on the current cold wave affecting parts of the country, which is significantly disrupting the normal academic activities of the students.

In districts where the Met Office forecasts a temperature of 17 degrees Celsius or lower, regional deputy directors will consult education officers and issue instructions to close secondary-level educational institutions, the directorate said.

However, just two and a half hours later, a second notice revised this threshold, stating the temperature threshold for school closures is 10 degrees Celsius, not 17.

This confusion is compounded by recent temperature data. For instance, the country's lowest temperature on Tuesday morning was 9.7 degrees Celsius in Sreemangal, while the highest was 24.5 degrees Celsius in Cox’s Bazar.

In this period, the highest temperature fell below 17 degrees Celsius in Rajshahi, Ishwardi, Badalgachhi, Tarash, Rangpur, Dinajpur, Syedpur, Rajarhat, Satkhira and Chuadanga, but it did not drop below 10 degrees Celsius anywhere in the country.

Despite the cold wave, no district recorded a highest temperature below 10 degrees Celsius.

Md Azizur Rahman, director at Bangladesh Meteorological Department, highlighted that he was not aware of Bangladesh having experienced a highest temperature below 10 degrees Celsius in its history.

“If the highest temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius, the lowest temperature may reach a sub-zero level. We haven’t faced that situation yet,” he said.

The lowest ever recorded temperature was 2.6 degrees Celsius in Panchagarh’s Tetulia on Jan 8, 2018. Before that, the lowest temperature was recorded in Dinajpur – 3.2 degrees Celsius on Jan 9 in 2013.

Azizur said the lowest temperature so far this season was 8.5 degrees Celsius. The winter temperature pattern indicates that it may be possible for officials to consider closing the schools if the highest temperature drops below 17 degrees Celsius.

This discrepancy raises questions about the practicality of the DSHE's revised threshold. If the highest temperature must fall below 10 degrees Celsius for schools to close, students may still need to attend school in dangerously cold conditions, as the highest temperature is unlikely to fall so low.

The confusion was also noted by a bdnews24.com reader, who suggested that the DSHE might have confused the highest with the lowest temperature.

SM Ziaul Haider, an assistant director at the DSHE, stated that they were following instructions from higher authorities.

Education Minister Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury Nowfel said the notice was issued in coordination with the primary and mass education ministry.

He explained: “The thing is - the divisional directors in the districts will take decisions over the matter. They will issue instructions considering the cold snap and the condition of the students. If the temperature falls below 10 degrees Celsius, steps will be taken accordingly."

Similarly, Mahbubur Rahman, a spokesman for the primary and mass education ministry, stated that regional deputy directors are instructed to close primary schools if the highest temperature falls below 10 degrees Celsius, in consultation with district education officers.

Bangladesh previously closed government primary schools due to intense heat in June, 2023.