Physical classes for primary students that have been closed due to a surge in Covid-19 infection, will resume on March 1. The decision was taken by the Education Ministry on Wednesday night.
Education Minister Dipu Moni and State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Mohammad Zakir Hossain said in a press conference at the secretariat on Thursday that the secondary, higher secondary and higher educational institutions would be reopened from February 22.
The two ministers said the decision to reopen the primary school would be taken after two more weeks considering the Covid-19 situation.
However, the Department of Primary Education was instructed on Thursday night to take preparations for the opening of primary schools from March 1, but the matter is yet to be officially announced on Sunday.
At a news conference on Thursday, the education minister said that primary school students had not yet been vaccinated. However, advisers said the infection was declining rapidly.
“We have recently seen an upward trend in the infection rate reaching to around 30, however, yesterday we saw it come down to 12.20 percent. We hope that this downward trend will continue. I hope to be able to bring elementary students into the classrooms within 10 days to two weeks after February 22,” she said.
“However, in the current situation, we are not considering bringing elementary students back to the classroom. We are waiting because they have not been vaccinated, hence we are keeping a couple of weeks in mind”, she added.
The education minister said that the vaccination program for primary school students will be started whenever they are ready with the approval of the Department of Health and the Health Ministry.
