Field level officials have verbally instructed the heads of government primary schools in advance to prepare for the opening of schools, keeping in mind that a short 30-day syllabus will be implemented as soon as the coronavirus situation is under control.
After contacting several schools, it was found that the authorities concerned have started preparing to open schools in compliance with the health rules following the previous directives.
However, no new instructions have been issued by the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education and the Directorate of Primary Education, according to the heads of the organizations.
It was said earlier that the schools would be informed 15 days before they are asked to reopen.
Although the short syllabus was supposed to be implemented from November 15, there were no new instructions as of Wednesday (November 4).
The concerned people are preparing themselves to implement the short 30-day syllabus as per the instructions issued earlier.
SM Saeed Ullah, senior joint-general secretary of the Bangladesh Government Primary School Head Teachers’ Association, said: “No new instructions were issued regarding the reopening of schools. We are on standby. If we are asked, we will be able to open the educational institutions immediately.”
Md Tasrif Ahmed, an assistant teacher at Kathaltali Government Primary School in Munshiganj’s Sirajdikhan upazila, said: “The upazila assistant education officer had asked us verbally to prepare for the opening of our school. We held a meeting regarding the matter.”
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Echoing Saeed Ullah’s statement, Pinky Bhoumik, assistant teacher at Shaheen Government Primary School in the capital, said: “No new instructions were given regarding the opening of educational institutions. We have prepared according to the instructions given earlier.”
‘Schools closed till Nov 14 doesn’t mean they will be opened on Nov 15’
Asked about the matter, Directorate of Primary Education Director General Alamgir Muhammad Mansurul Alam told Bangla Tribune: “Considering the infrastructure of the school and the number of students and according to the school reopening plan, the heads of the educational institutions have been asked to prepare a plan locally and send it to the district education officers within the next seven days.
“This paper-work is being done in case the government decides to open the schools. The head teachers have to keep the schools clean in the meantime.”
He continued: “There is still no decision on when schools will open; it will be decided by the two ministries.”
“Schools are closed till November 14 but it doesn’t mean that they will be opened on November 15,” he added.
Guidelines have been sent to the divisions, districts and primary training institutes (PTIs) on how schools will function under the new normal when they are opened. The officials concerned were directed to send the guidelines to all schools.
Earlier on September 16, a letter signed by Tapash Kumar Acharya, assistant director (Policy and Operations) of the Directorate of Primary Education, sent guidelines to the field level to prepare for the opening of educational institutions in compliance with the health rules.
The letter said: “Guidelines have been sent to reopen schools in compliance with public health and hygiene rules amid the Covid-19 situation. Concerned people are requested to take necessary action as per this guideline.”
On September 8, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education asked the director general of the Directorate of Primary Education to send the guidelines to the schools.
The National Academy for Primary Education (NAPE) had prepared a short 39-day syllabus that was supposed to be implemented from November 1 to December 19.
However, as schools were not reopened on November 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic, NAPE prepared a 30-day syllabus that would be implemented if schools are opened on November 15.
All primary school students will be promoted to the next class otherwise.
Notably, students of all educational institutes, including government primary schools, have been enjoying holidays since March 17 (except Qawmi madrasas).