At long last, it appears that the authorities concerned have given the greenlight to re-opening educational institutions, with primary, secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions of the country likely to re-open on September 12 this month after one and a half years of closure.
This is absolutely the right move — this newspaper has editorialized previously on the irrationality of education institutions remaining shut despite every other business, office, and institution being allowed to operate, and it is good to see that good sense has finally prevailed.
While it may be a cliché, education is indeed the backbone of any nation, in particular one such as Bangladesh which has its best years ahead of it, and many landmark goals that it wants to reach over the next two decades.
Thus, it is vital that our future leaders receive a complete education, which simply cannot be achieved without in-person classes, so that they may grow up to become the well-rounded citizens we need them to be, equipped with the problem-solving skills and critical thinking mentality to propel Bangladesh to the heights it wants to reach.
Having said that, we must remember that the pandemic continues to rage on despite the lower numbers currently, and as such, as education institutions open, there must be strict adherence to all the safety protocols that are as relevant today as they were when Covid-19 first broke out.
Thus, it will be up to the authorities and those responsible at the respective schools and colleges to ensure that students and teachers alike are in a safe environment. Furthermore, it is therefore most important to speed up our vaccination process in the country, so that once teachers and students are vaccinated, educational institutions can fully resume operations.
The prolonged closure of education institutions has already had a significant adverse impact on the future of this country, and no longer can we afford to compromise on education, and indeed, the future of Bangladesh.
