Shawdesh desk:

Low presence of students was seen at some of the primary schools in the capital on the second consecutive day on Monday after the resumption of classes amid a fresh heatwave alert.

The government, however, closed all secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions in five districts, including Dhaka, for Monday.

Many guardians of the primary school students lamented the decision saying that the primary schools should be closed also.

Some high Schools were found running academic activities on the day.

All pre-primary level classes have remained closed since April 21.

On Sunday, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department issued a countrywide third-phase heatwave alert for the next 72 hours.

The alert came after at least 14 districts saw the day’s temperatures soar to 40 degrees Celsius or above on Sunday.

Earlier, after a seven-day closure due to the ongoing heatwave, the educational institutions resumed in-person classes on Sunday by shortening the duration of classes and suspending all outdoor activities while many students across Bangladesh became sick and remained absent, while two teachers reportedly died of ‘heatstroke’ on Sunday.

On Monday at Khodeza Khatun Government Primary School in Banglamotor area few students were seen attending classes.

Teachers of the school said that only 50 per cent of the students attended classes on Monday.

At Shaheed Buddhijibi Dr Amin Uddin Government Primary School in Kataban area lower number of students was seen at classes.

One of the guardians, waiting outside the school, said that the government should keep the primary schools close too as children could become sick.

The schools head teacher Rina Parvin said that presence of students on the day was around 50 per cent.

Similar situation was seen at Nilkhet Government Primary School.

Shahin Mirza, one of the guardians waiting there, said that the government should have opened all classes from May 2.

‘If my child becomes sick for coming outside who will take the responsibility,’ she asked.

Nilkhet High School and University Laboratory School and College, both having primary sections, were found closed.

At Udayan Higher Secondary School all classes from primary to secondary levels were ongoing.

The school’s secondary branch coordinator Md Abul Hossain said that they were taking classes as the students came.

A press release issued by the education ministry on Sunday read that all secondary-level schools, colleges, madrassahs, and technical educational institutions in Dhaka, Chuadanga, Jashore, Khulna, and Rajshahi districts would remain closed only on Monday.

The ministry said that it had made the decision after consulting with the health and family welfare ministry and the BMD.

Educational institutions with air-conditioned systems, however, could continue in-person classes, it also said.

The release added that a fresh decision would be taken today about the situation.

Earlier on Sunday, the education minister, Mohibul Hassan Chowdhury, told reporters after a programme that it was not rational to close all educational institutions in the country following the forecast for five districts where temperatures could exceed 40 degrees Celsius.

‘We should avoid the mentality of closing all educational institutions across the country considering the temperature of Dhaka city,’ he said, adding that some guardians were complaining about the resumption of classes but the government could not operate based on these complaints.

In a press release issued on the same day, the primary and mass education ministry said that primary-level schools would be opened as these classes were being held in the morning.