As the Covid infection rate continues to fall, health experts advised the government to immediately take adequate preparations along with a roadmap to reopen the educational institutions gradually.
They think the government should first reopen the universities and then colleges, high schools and primary ones within the next month by bringing teachers and eligible students under the vaccine coverage on a priority basis, reports UNB.
They also called for preparing national Covid prevention and control guidelines based on health sciences to ensure academic activities in the educational institutions with safety even if the virus transmission goes up further.
The government shut the educational institutions on March 17, 2020 after the country had reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8. Then the closure was extended several times. The latest extension was supposed to continue till August 31.
But the government on Thursday extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary-level educational institutions until September 11.
On Tuesday, Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni said educational institutions in the country will be reopened soon if the coronavirus infection rate continues to decline.
Talking to the news agency, public health expert MH Chowdhury (Lenin), chairman of the medicine department at the Health and Hope Hospital, said the government needs to prepare a roadmap quickly before reopening the educational institutions based on health sciences.
He said many countries across the world initially witnessed a bit rise in Covid infection after reopening the educational institutions. "As those countries take proper precautionary measures based on health sciences, they didn't face any such problem. So, we can use the experiences of those countries and make a roadmap for reopening our educational institutions."
Of the 218 countries in the world affected by corona, he said, Bangladesh ranks third in terms of long-closure of educational institutions and it is just because of the lack of proper planning.
"We think the government should take appropriate steps to reopen the educational institutions immediately by reviewing the Covid situation all over the country."
Lenin said most university teachers and many students have already received corona vaccine jabs, paving the way for reopening the universities. "All other university teachers, students and employees can be vaccinated on a priority basis within the next month."
He said students can be allowed to return to their dormitories by undergoing Covid rapid antigen tests.
For reopening the universities, Lenin said, the students of every class can be divided into two sections for maintaining a safe physical distance.
He said both online and offline opportunities should be there for the students to participate in their classes. "Forty to 50 per cent of students can be allowed to join online, and the rest can start regular classes in the classrooms. The students who'll feel unwell or will fall sick can attend classes virtually."
At the same time, the expert said, it is important to ensure that every student wears a mask and maintains health hygiene strictly.
Besides, he thinks, every university should have a corona test centre for allowing students with Covid symptoms to go under the test quickly. "There should have isolation centres in every university."
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