Once again, the education ministry changed its decision to resume classes at all secondary-level educational institutions across the country today.
A press release, issued by the education ministry on Friday, read that all secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions in 25 districts, including Dhaka, will remain closed only for Saturday for the ongoing heatwave.
The districts are all districts in Khulna and Rajshahi divisions, Dhaka and Tangail districts in the Dhaka Division, Chandpur district in Chattogram division and Rangpur, Kurigram, Nilphamari and Dinajpur districts in the Rangpur division.
Earlier on Thursday, another press release issued by the same ministry read that from Saturday classes at all secondary level educational institutions would be held as usual.
Frequent changes in the decision left the authorities of the educational institutions, the guardians and the students in confusion about the classes.
The primary schools, meanwhile, will resume classes across the country on Sunday.
All pre-primary level classes, however, will remain closed until further notice.
Educational institutions across the country resumed in-person classes on April 28 after a week-long closure starting on April 21 amid the heatwave.
The education ministry on April 28 ordered the closure of secondary-level educational institutions in five districts on April 29.
Next day, on April 29, the High Court ordered the closure of all primary and secondary level schools, colleges, and madrassahs across Bangladesh until May 2.
Following the order, on the same day, April 29, the primary and mass education ministry soon declared the government primary schools, Shishu Kalyan Trust schools, and Bureau of Non-Formal Education learning centres closed until May 2.
The education ministry, however, on April 29 ordered the closure of secondary-level educational institutions in 27 districts on April 30.
The classes of secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions were held in 37 districts on April 30 amid the suffering of students in the ongoing heatwave.
On May 1, the education ministry in a post on its verified Facebook page said that classes on Saturdays would be taken on a temporary basis to cover learning losses while no decision was made to take classes on Fridays.
A guardian of a student of Ideal School and College, Motijheel branch, said that he got two messages from the school on Friday.
鈥楾he first message said that the school would be reopened tomorrow and the second one said that the school would not be reopened tomorrow,鈥� he said, adding, 鈥楾his is very confusing.鈥�
Officials of the primary and mass education ministry said that as the High Court order was effective till May 2, the classes would be resumed on May 5 at all government primary schools, Shishu Kalyan Trust schools, and BNFE learning centres.
Many students fell sick in the heatwave during classes and the presence of students in different districts was low while the classes were resumed at different times.
The Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued a heatwave alert on Thursday for the next 48 hours over the Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur divisions and the western parts of Dhaka division from 6:00pm of May 2.
