Public universities to reopen by this month: Dipu Moni

The government will reopen all public universities in the country by the current month, Education Minister Dipu Moni said during the cabinet meeting on Monday.

As Bangladesh witnesses a downward trend in death and infection rate of coronavirus, it reopened primary and secondary educational institutions on September 12 while the medical colleges on September 13, respectively.

Meanwhile, some universities resumed their academic activities and around 22 universities are expected to reopen by the current month.

An elaborate discussion on reopening the educational institutions took place during Monday’s cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. She attended the meeting virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence.

The Prime Minister wanted to know about the progress of reopening the universities and in response the education minister said all the public universities will be reopened within the current month.

While addressing a press conference after emerging from the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, said all public universities will run under the guidelines of their respective syndicates.

It is being expected that the universities will be reopened by the current month, the cabinet secretary said.

There are 51 public universities and 108 privately run universities in the country of which 39 universities are running academic activities on the campuses, he said.

The overall condition of the varsities’ residential halls is in bad shape due to the long Covid-19 pandemic recess and time is needed to make the halls livable for the students, he said.

The education minister, during the meeting, made it clear that the schedule announced so far for the examinations will remain unchanged and the examinations will be held in the stipulated time unless the situation deteriorates.