Bangladesh Educational institutes to remain closed until October 3

Bangladesh Desk: The government has decided to keep the country’s educational institutions closed till October 3 due to the coronavirus prevalence.

It has also decided not to hold the Junior School Certificate and Junior Dakhil Certificate examinations this year.

The decision to extend the closure of educational institutions was made at a meeting of the education ministry and the primary and mass education ministry, primary education secretary Akram Al-Hossain said.

The qawmi madrassahs, however, were allowed to continue their academic activities as per the prime minister’s permission last week, Madrassah and Technical Education Division secretary Md Aminul Islam Khan said.

The decision on not holding the JSC and JDC exams came after the approval from the Prime Minister’s Office, Secondary and Higher Education Division secretary Mahbub Hossain said.

On Tuesday, the primary education ministry cancelled this year’s Primary Education Completion and ebtedayee examinations and decided to hold the school annual exams for the promotion of students to the next classes even if institutions reopened in November.

It could not, however, decide any alternative if the institutions remain closed till December.

The primary education ministry also decided not to award scholarships among the meritorious students based on the PEC and ebtedayee exams, Akram said, adding that they would continue the stipend programme at the government primary schools.

The education ministry is yet to decide the mode of promotion of the students to the next classes or whether any scholarships would be  awarded or not, Mahbub Hossain said.

At a zoom meeting, education minister Dipu Moni instructed officials to work on reopening plans for the educational institutions when the coronavirus pandemic would be over, said a press release.

She also asked the officials to work on a schedule for holding the Higher Secondary Certificate exams and to look for alternative ways for promoting Class XI students.

She instructed teachers to be in contact with the students using social media platforms so that they could continue their academic activities.

Issuing a separate release, the primary education ministry asked the parents and local authorities to ensure that the students remained at home during the coronavirus pandemic.

The ministry also asked the teachers to continue to communicate with students regarding their academic activities.

The country’s educational intuitions have remained closed since March 17 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.