Schools will be kept open on Friday if needed: Education minister
On the High Court order issued yesterday to close all schools till 2 May, the minister said the notice had not been received yet.
Schools will be kept open on Fridays if needed to complete the curriculum, Education Minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury said today (30 April) at a press briefing.
"We have a total of 185 working days. There are 20 days for evaluation, five days for national days and an extra 20 days. We will re-adjust with the extra 20 days. If we need to keep schools open on Friday, we will do so," the minister said during the briefing at the Secretariat.
He said if needed, they would also keep schools open on Saturday.
The minister also said decisions on school opening and closing down will be taken district-wise from now on. The educational institutions will not be closed or open collectively countrywide anymore.
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On the High Court order issued yesterday to close all schools till 2 May, Chowdhury said the notice had not been received yet.
"The executive branch of the government respects the decision of the High Court. We have not received the order yet. Hopefully, we will get it soon."
He further said they came to know about the HC's interim order from media reports.
"I discussed it briefly with the attorney general. We need to discuss with the other ministries to make any kind of plan further."
Amid the sizzling heat, the HC ordered all schools, colleges, madrasas and technical educational institutions closed till 2 May.
Two days before educational institutions were scheduled to reopen after the Eid holidays, the Met Office issued a heat alert.
The next day, on 20 April, the country recorded its highest temperature of 42.6 degree Celsius (°C) in Jashore. Besides, 42.4°C was recorded in Chuadanga, 41.7°C in Mongla, 41.2°C in Khulna, 42°C in Ishwardi in Pabna, and 41.5°C in Rajshahi. In Dhaka, it was a sizzling 40.4°C, the second-highest since 1960.
Following the sudden jump in the country's heatwave situation, the authorities concerned extended the closure of schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions nationwide for the whole week until 27 April.
On 25 April, the government reaffirmed its decision to reopen educational institutions on Sunday (28 April).
The reopening was marred by low attendance and illnesses. There were also deaths – two teachers reportedly died from "heat stroke" in Chattogram and Jashore districts. Some seventeen children also fell ill in Noakhali.
A day later today, the government once again ordered keeping all schools, colleges, madrasas, and technical education institutions in Dhaka, Chuadanga, Jashore, Khulna, and Rajshahi districts closed
