Staff Correspondent: The Ministry of Education has issued a notice for schools and colleges to be prepared for reopening at any time after February 4. To this end, the Department of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) has directed the educational institutions to ensure the safety of students, teachers and staffs in a detailed guideline on Friday.

The directives of DSHE said that the heads of the institutions are requested to make a plan of how to provide all students with the opportunity to attend classes in compliance with the health safety rules.

The DSHE guideline instructs ensuring a minimum distance of three feet between students to prevent the spread of Covid-19 with mandatory use of masks.

Authorities were also urged to take steps to create a clean, safe and joyful environment in the educational institution to combat the pandemic during theMujib Borsho.

Earlier on Thursday (January 21), a virtual joint meeting of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education was held. Education Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Zakir Hossain, Senior officials from the two ministries and Deputy Education Minister Mahibul Hasan Chowdhury Nawfel, were present in the meeting.

According to meeting sources, schools, colleges and universities may be opened in early February.

The temperatures of the students should be checked before they enter the campus, students of each class to be divided into shifts and distance learning to be ensured for those not willing to attend classes physically, the directives added.

When asked, Director General of the Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Professor Syed Golam Farooq, said that the issues of how to re-open educational institutions have been discussed. The education minister has given several instructions in this regard. He said that it will be implemented soon.