Full-fledged classes in schools: Govt planning to start it mid-March

The government is planning to resume full-fledged classes at schools and colleges as 84 percent secondary students have already received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine and the daily positivity rate is on its way down.

The authorities say they are considering conducting classes at secondary schools in full swing from the middle of this month, after two years of full and partial closures.

Officials at the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) said it will be a challenging task for them to keep students threefeet apart in classrooms at secondary schools as the ratio of students to classrooms is too big.

Educational institutions were shut on March 17, 2020 due to the pandemic. Those were reopened partially on September 12 last year.

This was one of the longest school closures (543 days) in the world.

Following a sharp rise in the Covid transmission rate, the government again shut all schools and colleges from January 21 for two weeks. The closure was later extended till February 21.

Classes resumed partially at secondary schools on February 22.

Meanwhile, Education Minister Dipu Moni yesterday said full-fledged in-person classes at secondary schools might resume from the middle of this month.

The minister was speaking to reporters after attending a programme in the capital.

DSHE Director General Prof Nehal Ahmed said they were planning to run schools in full swing as 98 percent students from classes 6 to 12 received the first Covid shot. About 84 percent of themreceived the second.

"We hope that the rest of the students will get their second dose by the middle of this month," he said.

There are 1.28 crore students in classes six to 12 in about 20,850 schools.

Nehal said the declining Covid positivity rate was the other reason for resuming classes in full swing. Yesterday, the positivity rate was 3.20 percent.

Asked how they would keep students three feet apart in classrooms, the DSHE chief said there would be some problems in maintaining social distancing.

"We will talk with the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 to discuss the matter and other related issues."

He said they were also considering to continue classes following the current rule, meaning only students who received two Covid shots would be allowed to join classes in person.

Currently, SSC exams candidates are attending four classes and class-10 students three classes every day. Eighth and ninth graders are having three classes twice a week and sixth and seventh graders three classes once a week.

In-person classes at all primary schools and kindergartens resumed on Wednesday. Classes are being held in two shifts. Students of classes 1 and 2 are attending classes in the first shift and the rest in the second.