PRIME Minister Sheikh Hasina on February 22 instructed the education ministry to review whether educational institutions, which have been closed since March 17 last year due to the pandemic, could be reopened. Hours after the instruction was given at a cabinet meeting, Education Minister Dipu Moni announced that in-person classes at universities would resume on May 24 after the Eid-ul-Fitr. Besides, the student dormitories at those universities will reopen on May 17, she said.
Students demonstrating for the reopening, however, rejected the announcement and demanded that their universities reopen on March 1. Students of Dhaka University broke the locks on the doors of two halls yesterday, demanding the reopening of the university dormitories.
There are 48 public and 107 private universities in the country. About 41 lakh students are currently enrolled into the public universities and their affiliated colleges, while the private universities have around 3.50 lakh students.
We see the need to ensure that vaccination for all university teachers and students have been completed before opening the universities. Since doses are being given on an average of two months apart this means that all students have to get their first shot by March 24 — which is barely a month away for now.
However vaccination is not the last word as the vaccine has a demonstrated efficacy of between 70-90 percent so people will still need to wear masks and maintain social distance — two things which they are not doing now in any meaningful number.
Under the ‘new normal now students will have to sit in the classes maintaining social distance. The universities should make sure this is maintained and create awareness among all concerned for this. More importantly they should prepare for tackling the one-year gap in academic activities and see how to complete the respective courses of study and evaluate the performances of students to recover the lost year.
