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After a continuous holiday period marking Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr, and Independence Day, academic activities are resuming today, Sunday (March 29), in almost all levels of educational institutions across the country.
Although the long 37-day holiday ended last Thursday (March 26), regular classes are commencing from today due to the weekly Friday and Saturday off. In total, educational activities remained suspended for a continuous 39 days.
Overall, academic activities in the first three months of the year have been comparatively less due to elections, Ramadan, and Eid. This has led to learning deficits among students.
To overcome this deficit, the government has instructed that educational activities resume under new rules following the holiday. According to the Directorate of Primary Education’s directive, the first 10 Saturday weekly holidays after the Eid break have been cancelled. However, no instructions have yet been issued regarding the cancellation of Saturday holidays for secondary level educational institutions.
According to the annual holiday calendar, this year’s Ramadan and Eid holidays were supposed to begin on March 8. However, following a High Court order prompted by a writ petition filed by guardians, and subsequently a decision by the new government, government primary schools across the country were declared closed from February 19. As a result, the holiday commenced 17 days earlier than scheduled.
Subsequently, as per the revised holiday list, primary and secondary schools, madrasas, colleges, and technical educational institutions were kept closed from February 19 to March 26.
In anticipation of the reopening of educational institutions after this long break, the Secondary and Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education has issued some urgent directives. These instructions were announced in a circular signed by Senior Assistant Secretary Muhammad Helal Chowdhury on March 25.
The directives state that cleanliness must be ensured in educational institutions before they reopen after the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday. Regular monitoring should be strengthened to keep institutions clean daily. Furthermore, cleanliness campaigns involving teachers and students are to be conducted weekly.
Additionally, tree plantation programs must be undertaken, and garden maintenance ensured in educational institutions. Instructions have also been given to undertake various activities to encourage students regarding cleanliness.