The government is not planning to consider online classes again and has urged all to refrain from creating such hype or demands among students.
A top government representative and officials of the Ministry of Education made the remarks while talking to Dhaka Tribune on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has also discouraged such speculation.
It said that it would not be a wise decision to resume virtual classes when educational institutions have not yet been able to recover the previous year's learning loss.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Deputy Minister for Education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel said that at present the ministry was not considering shifting to online learning.
Despite this new variant of coronavirus which is creating a fourth wave, no educational institutions have been shut down worldwide, he added.
He noted: “While we keep mosques, temples, malls, and social events open, why should we shut down schools and universities?”
The deputy minister went on to say that there would be a prolonged period of holidays coming in connection with Eid-ul-Adha.
“It will be totally counterproductive to force institutions to go online. The existing digital divide will only deepen. It is very difficult to achieve learning outcomes at the school level if classes are taken online,” Mohibul observed.
He urged the media not to encourage this demand. “It will only help urban students while our rural students are still suffering in this sector since Covid hit the country.”
Prof Dil Afroza Begum, chairman (in-charge) of UGC, mentioned that even though it was totally the government’s decision, the Health Ministry could also give its opinions here. “But we do not prefer it right now.”
Echoing the statement of the deputy minister, UGC secretary Dr Ferdous Zaman said: “We are discouraging the introduction of online classes in place of in-person classes. There is no scope to resume online classes anytime soon.”
Universities not willing to go online
Meanwhile, the authorities of universities have said that they are also unwilling to shift everything online.
The vice chancellors (VC) of most public universities told Dhaka Tribune that they were not interested in taking online classes.
If any students, teachers, officials or staff are infected with Covid, then the authorities would take effective measures, they said, adding that there was still no chance of a resumption of online classes.
According to the VCs, students and teachers were not willing to engage again in online classes either.
ASM Maksud Kamal, pro-VC (Academic) of Dhaka University, told this correspondent: "We have not decided on online classes, exams or this kind of supervision. We will control the infection through precautionary measures. In-person classes will continue."
It may be recalled, though, that on June 30, the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) shifted postgraduate in-person classes to online classes from Saturday due to the increasing number of students getting infected with Covid-19.
On Saturday, Buet VC Dr Satya Prasad Majumdar told Dhaka Tribune: “It was a temporary decision. A meeting will be held after Eid-ul-Azha to come up with a better plan."
University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh (ULAB) VC Prof Imran Rahman said: “Despite what we have experienced due to Covid, we are not considering them (online classes) now. We will monitor the situation and make a decision subject to permission from the university apex body.”
North South University (NSU) VC Prof Atiqul Islam said that private universities had been regulated by UGC in taking such a decision.
“So we are always waiting for their guidance, though we have enough preparations to conduct online classes to tackle the situation,” he continued.