The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 (NTAC) has recommended that all schools and educational institutions must ensure that everyone wears a mask, and if this is not done, legal action must be taken.
Masks of the relevant size and standard should be arranged and distributed centrally for all students. Interactions between instructors, students, and other staffs be observed and reported on a daily basis, the committee advised.
The recommendations were made at the NTAC's 45th online meeting, which took place at 8.00 pm on September 2 under the chairmanship of Professor Mohammad Sahidullah.
Other public health measures recommended at the meeting included keeping hands clean (washing hands or setting up hand disinfection stations) and maintaining general hygiene.
According to the meeting, the appropriate authority should create a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) based on the recommendation of the health directorate in this regard.
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At least 80% of teachers and staffs in schools and educational institutions must be vaccinated against Covid-19, and they will be able to join the educational institution after 14 days of the second dose.
However, the committee suggested that in some situations, authorization to join the work could be granted 14 days following the first dose.
Students over the age of 18 should also be vaccinated at higher educational institutions, the committee added.
The committee proposed holding courses of different grades on different days, suspending assembly, and other measures to prevent crowding in classrooms and educational institutions.
They also recommended closing the cafeteria, dining room, TV, sports rooms, and not sharing mattresses or prayer mats in residential schools and madrasas.
As the Covid-19 infections eases, the government plans to reopen schools and institutions on September 12, allowing students to return to in-person classes in phases after an 18-month hiatus.
