Medical colleges, universities likely to continue 1-day weekend

The health ministry is likely to allow medical colleges and universities to continue one-day weekends, considering those institutions as emergency service providers.

The ministry will issue a notice in this regard soon, said sources.

The government on Monday decided on a two-day weekend for all educational institutions in the country – on Friday and Saturday – along with reducing work hours at all government and autonomous offices to save energy.

Sources at the Directorate General of Medical Education (DGME) said the directorate officials at a meeting at the Secretariat yesterday gave their opinion against extending the weekly holidays.

Professor Dr AKM Amirul Morshed Khosru, acting director general of DGME, told The Business Standard that medical education related to the hospitals is always considered necessary for the country's people. Besides, doctors at the medical colleges and universities provide treatment to the people.

Extending the weekly vacation at medical colleges and universities to two days will hamper the students' learning process as well as the treatment provided to the people, said Professor Amirul.

"The ministry was convinced and said they will take a final decision in this regard soon," he said.

"Actually we are already facing a severe crisis of teachers and new complications will arise if the weekly holiday is extended," he added.

There are 37 government and 73 private medical colleges in the country. There are also four medical universities in the country – Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Rajshahi Medical University, Sylhet Medical University and Chittagong Medical University.

Around 1.5 lakh students are studying at different government and private medical colleges and nursing institutes. Their onsite education halted for one-and-a-half years due to Covid-19 restrictions, although online classes continued. The students will face another learning shortage if the weekly vacation extends.

BSMMU to decide weekend on Wednesday

Professor Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed, vice-chancellor of BSMMU, told TBS that they have called a meeting to make a decision regarding the weekly holidays on Wednesday.

He said, "BSMMU is not like other educational institutions. Our teachers operate the medical part of the university and treat patients. We will definitely face obstacles if we extend the weekly holiday.

"We will try not to extend the holidays, but we might do it if we cannot find any other solution. We will make a final decision in this regard on Wednesday."