Schools reopen after holidays, students reluctant to follow health protocols

Schools across the country have reopened following the long Eid-ul-Azha break and summer holidays.

Classes have resumed at the lower secondary, secondary and technical educational institutions on Sunday.

Primary schools will reopen on Tuesday, while classes already began at madrasas on Jun 17.

The Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education had issued an order to follow health protocols, like wearing masks and washing hands, in educational institutions amid the surge of COVID cases in the country.

However, teachers say students were reluctant to follow health protocols on Sunday, the first day schools resumed classes.

The disease control wing of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) recently given directives to take precautionary measures in view of the hike in coronavirus cases in India, fearing that it could spread to Bangladesh.

The DGHS asked everyone to wear masks and follow other health protocols. It asked them not to travel to India and other countries where COVID was spreading, unless in case of emergency.

Prof Khan Moinuddin Al Mahmud Sohel, director of the secondary wing of the Directorate General of Secondary and Higher Education, told bdnews24.com: "The current rate of coronavirus infection does not pose a threat of cases spreading through schools. Educational institutions have been asked to follow health protocols as infections are increasing in neighbouring countries.”

"If the infection rate increases significantly, the government will decide to close schools, in consultation with the DGHS. However, currently, there is no such possibility."

He also said that information on whether the schools are following the instructions given by the directorate to follow the health protocols will be learnt in a day or two.

Meanwhile, teachers in Dhaka and other parts of the country said the students are reluctant to wear masks and wash their hands on the first day after the schools reopened.

Shahina Kabir, a senior teacher at Motijheel Government Boys' High School, told bdnews24.com: "Even though teachers wore masks, few students are wearing masks. We are providing masks to students. In addition, we are asking them to follow the health protocols and hope they will wear masks in future."

Fazilatun Nahar Shammi, a senior teacher at the Bashundhara branch of Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, told bdnews24.com: "Some of the students wore masks in the class, but many did not."

Assistant Teacher Md Habibullah Raju at Khalilpur High School in Pabna’s Sujanagaran, told bdnews24.com: "The number of students wearing masks is very low on the first day. However, we are telling the students today and hope that they will wear masks properly from tomorrow."

"It is unfortunate but true that not a single student came to school wearing a mask today," Ohidul Islam, an assistant teacher at Subrajpur High School in Patnitala Upazila of Naogaon, told bdnews24.com.