Uncertainty has arisen over whether government primary schools will remain open during the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, after a High Court directive ordered the closure of all types of secondary schools but made no reference to primary institutions.
The court instructed that lower secondary and secondary schools be closed during Ramadan. However, the absence of any mention of primary schools in the directive has led to confusion among guardians and teachers.
Officials at the Directorate of Primary Education said they have already prepared the annual holiday schedule and submitted it to the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education for approval. The proposed calendar includes a 19-day break from March 8 to March 26, covering Ramadan, Eid-ul-Fitr and regular weekly holidays. The list has yet to be published on the directorate’s website.
A senior directorate official said there is currently no additional instruction regarding the closure of primary schools beyond the announced holiday period.
Deputy Director Joynal Abdin said the High Court order specifically referred to lower secondary and secondary schools. “As far as I know, it has been said that lower secondary and secondary schools will be closed from February 18. We are not aware of any directive concerning primary schools,” he said.
He added that while the directorate has proposed holidays from March 8 to March 26, the final decision on whether the schedule will remain unchanged or be revised rests with the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
