Staff Correspondent: Dhaka, Aug-24,

The education authorities have issued some guidelines as part of preparations to reopen educational institutions which have remained closed since March last year due to Covid pandemic.

The teachers of primary schools have been instructed to return to their work places from Tuesday.

The Primary Education Directorate asked the upazila/thana education officers to inspect the schools their jurisdiction within a week.

Besides, it also gave instructions to keep the institutions clean and tidy by taking utmost care to prevent dengue.

The primary school authorities were instructed to prepare their wash block accordingly.

Besides, the Directorate of Secondary & Higher Education (DSHE) asked the regional directors to take necessary preparations to reopen schools and colleges.

According to education ministry sources, most of the teachers and staffers of the educational institutions have been vaccinated.

Besides, sources within the University Grants Commission claimed that around 80 % students of Dhaka University got their Covid jabs.

However schools will reopen only after the covid positivity rate comes below 5 %, said a source of the education ministry.

In that case, the closure of schools might be extended again.

Director of DSHE professor Shahedul Kabir Chowdhury  said the regional directors  were asked to inspect and submit a report on the final preparations on resuming academic activities at educational institutions.

Director General of the Directorate of Primary Education Alamgir Md Mansurul Alam said teachers have been told to return to schools.

"We also instructed our officials to visit institutions and submit a report on preparations to reopen. Failure to do so will result in administrative actions, " he added.

The government shut down educational institutions on March 17, last year after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases on March 8.

Then the closure was extended several times until August 31 this year.

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