DHAKA, Sept 12, 2021 (BSS) - Secondary School Certificate (SSC), Higher

Secondary Certificate (HSC) and Primary Education Completion (PEC) examinees
attend classes today as the schools and colleges reopened maintaining
guidelines and health protocols.

   School authorities welcomed students to classrooms, following prolonged
closure of nearly one and a half years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

   After the reopening, the SSC and HSC examinees of 2020-2021, and the
students of fifth standard will attend classes regularly, according to the
government decision finalized at an inter-ministerial meeting at the cabinet
division on Sunday.

  "The students of grades 1-4 and 6-9 will attend classes once a week
initially. Later, all the classes will be held regularly", said Education
Minister Dr Dipu Moni.

   Now, only a few months remain for the SSC, HSC, and PEC candidates. Once
their term comes to an end, at the end of the year, regular classes would
start for Classes 9 and 11, she added.

   No assembly will take place in any educational institution but some
physical activities will be done considering the mental and physical health
of the students.

   The educational institutions are being opened on Sunday following all the
directives and guidelines of the government while all kinds of health precautions
have been taken, said Sheikh Aminur Rahman, Senior teacher, Birshreshtha
Munshi Abdur Rouf Public College, yesterday.

   Arrangements have been made for the students to enter and exit the
institution through two separate gates, he said, adding that 'the necessity
of discipline has long been emphasized to our students.'

   Coordination meetings are held several times a month, but it has been
intensified during the pandemic which will continue to run the academic
activities smoothly, he furthered.

   Meanwhile, Secondary and Higher Education Division (SHED) issued
guidelines for the country's schools and colleges on how to prepare before
opening institutions aiming to ensure health safety considering pandemic
situations.

   Each institution has already completed the preparatory activities
following the 19-point guideline.

  The guidelines included placing banners in front of each institution with
the instructions that must be followed, giving a briefing to students on the
guidelines and directives on the first day, ensuring regular temperature
measurement of all teachers, students and staff, and preparing a room as an
isolation center in each institution.

   Educational institutions have also been asked to form a coordination
committee consisting of teachers to ensure that the respective institution
follows the guidelines and arrange a meeting with guardians and managing
committee in this regard.

   The guidelines also included maintaining a three-foot distance between
students in the classroom, providing hand washing facilities, keeping each
corner of the institution including the washroom, corridor, rooftop, and
campus premises clean and tidy, and hosting a warm welcome for students on
their first day.

   Each institution was also asked to ensure participation of 100 percent
students in the classroom and follow the instructions imposed by the
government.