Govt plans to vaccinate college, university students

The government is planning to vaccinate students of all colleges and universities across the country to ensure safe resumption of educational institutions.

Cabinet Division Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam announced the government plan while addressing a press conference at the Secretariat after the regular weekly cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon.

If all students are inoculated, it will be possible for the government to reopen the educational institutions in a favourable and possible shortage period of time, the cabinet secretary said.

The renovation work of 40 residential halls of different colleges and universities has already begun as part of the government’s efforts to reopen the educational institution soon, he said.

Meanwhile, the government on Sunday once again extended the closure of secondary and higher secondary level educational institutions until May 29.

The decision was made considering the safety of students, teachers and staff after consultation with the National Advisory Committee on Covid-19, according to a handout of the Education Ministry. During the closure online classes will continue, it added.

The government shut educational institutions on March 17 last year, just over a week after the country reported its first Covid-19 cases.

On February 22, the education minister announced that university classes would resume on May 24 while the residential halls were scheduled to be reopened on May 17.