Bangladesh reopens educational institutions as COVID cases fall. Some schools ignore govt directives

Bangladesh has begun to reopen educational institutions a month after they were closed as coronavirus cases start to drop.

Classes resumed in secondary, higher secondary and higher education institutions in the first phase of reopening on Tuesday.

In the morning, students with vaccination cards in hand were seen entering Rayer Bazar High School. They lined up outside the gate, where temperatures were checked before they were allowed in.

Only those who received at least two doses of the coronavirus vaccine were allowed to attend classes. However, upon visiting some schools in Mirpur, it was apparent that not all authorities were checking whether attending students had received both doses.

The government instructed all primary schools to reopen in early March. But some schools proceeded to hold classes from Tuesday.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education previously issued a 20-point list of instructions for the commencement of in-person classes in schools and colleges. All educational institutions have been asked to abide by those instructions.

The government has also lifted restrictions on eating in restaurants and holding public gatherings.

The government announced the closure of educational institutions temporarily on Jan 21, as coronavirus cases rose since December due to the highly-infectious omicron strain.

Initially, schools and colleges were to remain closed until Feb 6, but the date was later pushed back by two more weeks to Feb 21.

The government has since decided to reopen secondary schools at the end of the latest period of pandemic-induced closure amid growing calls from parents and development organisations to resume in-person learning.

After a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said that the closure of educational institutions will not be extended after Feb 21. However, everyone must wear a mask and follow other rules properly.

STUDENTS DELIGHTED TO RETURN

Students are happy to be able to return to classes again. School authorities are not pressing hard for adherence to health rules as they did before.

The parents, too, are pleased with the government’s decision to reopen schools as coronavirus infections dropped.

In several schools in Mirpur, students were attending classes in shifts since Tuesday morning.

Kaniz Fatema, a 10th grader at Mirpur Girls’ Ideal Laboratory Institute, was delighted to be able to return to school.

“Studying at home is not the same as it is in classes. I couldn’t concentrate much on my studies [during this closure] and was really worried about when the school would reopen.

“Now I’m seeing my teachers and friends as schools are open, and it makes me very happy.”

A parent waiting outside the school, Nasrin Akter, said her child has been distracted from his studies in the past two years. She wants the classes to continue without interruption even if infections spike again.

“It is only natural that children won’t study if classes are suspended. The break [in education] was so long. This can be curtailed. The damage can be limited if teachers try sincerely,” she said.

The school’s morning shift in-charge Amina Rashid said 90 percent of students attended classes on the first day of reopening.

“The children no longer want to sit idle at home. They were very keen to return to school.”

Amina thinks the pandemic will not be an issue as the vaccination of students is complete.

The government has instructed everyone to attend classes after the two-dose course of vaccines was completed, but schools have not asked whether students have done so.

Farhad Molla, an eighth-grader at Mirpur’s Little Flowers Preparatory School, said 80 percent of his classmates attended classes. But the school did not ask whether they got vaccinated.

Although students were provided hand sanitizer while entering the school, most institutions seemed indifferent towards health rules.

In addition, most primary schools started classes on Tuesday, sidestepping government directives to reopen on Mar 2.

Habiba Akter Sumaiya, a fifth grader, said she had attended six classes throughout the day after arriving there at 7:30 am.

Children from grades I, II and III attended classes at Mirpur’s Paradise Kindergarten and High School.

“The kids want to come to school, so they are. We have few students, so classes are being held in a single shift now,” Delowar Hossain, the head teacher of the institution said.