''Regular classes for 10th, 12th graders; one class a week for others''

Live Correspondent: Education Minister Dipu Moni on Sunday informed the parliament that schools will hold regular classes for students of grades 10 and 12 when educational institutions reopen after a prolonged shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, students of other grades will be required to attend one class a week at their institutions and take their tasks for the whole week. "Directives have been given to take preparations for resuming classes by February 4. Initially, after the reopening of educational institutions, the regular classes of only Class X and Class XII will be held," she said. The Education Minister said this while speaking in Parliament about 'Bangladesh Technical Education Board (Amendment) Bill, 2021' paving the way to publish the results of the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) and equivalent examinations by January 28 next. Dipu Moni said it is not possible to maintain the health directives properly as the number of students in Bangladesh's educational institutions is huge and they have to sit in their respective classes crowdedly. "So, there'll be no scope to bring all the students at a time in the educational institutions," she said. Dipu Moni also mentioned that the public universities of the country will take admission tests on a cluster basis, apart from the four ones, which will be very much helpful for the students and guardians during this pandemic period. On March 16, the government closed all educational institutions and coaching centres in Bangladesh from March 18 to March 31 amid the escalating Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, the Classes have remained suspended but administrative activities gradually resumed. How, the government has extended the closure on several occasions – first till 9 April, then 25 April, 5 May, 30 May, 6 August, 31 August, 3 October, and finally until 31 October. Dhaka, 24 January (campuslive24.com)//AIT

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