Many students have expressed pleasure being able to attend universities again after a long gap.
The news of the decision to reopen universities from early October came as a great relief for majorities of the students who prefer attending classes despite the pandemic.
Students are excited and relieved altogether at the end of the long 18 months of stagnation due to Corona virus outbreak. Finally, they are gleeful as the worry for their educational future will be soon over.
Most of the students, after getting vaccinated, are being prepared to get back to their beloved campus, join classes and attend pending examination as the universities are scheduled to reopen any day after September 27, this month following a decision taken on September 14.
A tripartite virtual meeting of Minister for Education Dr Dipu Moni, officials of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Vice-chancellors of different universities took the decision that universities can reopen with the green signal of academic council after all students complete Covid-19 vaccine registration by September 27.
However, among all the students in the country, public university students at every nook and corner of the country are the first to get vaccinated in early July, this year. Most of them are now on the verge of completing their second dose of vaccination.
Hossain Mohammad Siddiki, a student of University of Dhaka (DU) told Bangladesh Post, “I have recently taken my 2nd dose of vaccine on September 19 and waiting to get back to our beloved campus. I have been away from the university life for a long time, now staying at my village home Kishoreganj. The university authority is likely to reopen halls on October 5 and therefore, classes will resume within a few days, so far we know.”
Earlier on September 15, at a meeting of the university’s provost standing committee, it was decided to reopen the doors of residential halls on October 5. Therefore, students will be able to get in from 8 am on the day after showing vaccination card.
Meanwhile, other public universities including autonomous ones including Rajshahi University (RU), Jahangirnagar University (JU) and Chittagong University (CU) are preparing to reopen in mid October. However, there are admission tests pending for most of the universities and so, the reopening may be postponed considering the situation. Therefore, many universities are still to finalize the date of opening.
Babul Islam, director of RU's ICT department, said more than 13,000 students at the university had submitted vaccination information. Of which 11,000 students have been vaccinated. In addition, more than 8,000 students received two doses.
RU Pro Vice-chancellor Professor Sultan-ul-Islam recently told the media, "Our first preparation is to open the university by October 17 and normalize the academic activities. Preparations are underway for the opening of the residential hall before the opening of the university in general.”
Meanwhile, many students are highly enthusiastic being able to attend lessons again.
“An announcement for reopening universities is an amazing message for all of us. It would be a great pleasure attending regular classes again,” said student of CU.
Along with the vaccination of public university students, private university students are registering and getting jabbed in full swing at the eleventh hour.
UGC has launched a web link to jab all university students. Even those who do not have National Identity Card (NID) can register through their birth registration number at (https://univac.ugc.gov.bd).
According to UGC’s recent information, more than 700,000 university students have been vaccinated. Of them, more than 500,000 students have been vaccinated with one dose and around 200,000 with both doses.
