KABUL - A number of university students on Saturday said that the Ministry of Public Health’s decision to close down educational centers was an irresponsible move.
Amid a surge in Covid-19 cases, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has announced the closure of all educational institutes in 16 provinces, including Kabul, for two weeks.
In a statement, MoPH said the number of positive cases had recently increased, setting the alarm bells ringing in the country.
In order to prevent the spread of the virus, the ministry said, all private and public universities, schools and other educational institutes would remain closed for two weeks with effect from Saturday.
Educational institutes have been ordered closed in Kabul, Ghazni, Helmand, Kandahar, Logar, Nangarhar, Paktia, Parwan, MaidanWardak, Panjsher, Balkh, Laghman, Badakhshan, Kapisa, Kunduz and Nimroz.
However, Hayat Baheer, a student of Khana-i-Noor Private Higher Education Institute in Kabul, said students were affected by the MoPH decision as they had no any alternative ways for learning.
He said even top universities of the country failed to provide online classes properly while students were regularly obliged to pay their fees.
“The government should take decisions that do not affect students and instead they use it as an opportunity,” he said.
AsadullahErfan, who recently passed the university entry test, said that he was not happy with the decision of MoPH and the Ministry of Higher Education for closing educational centers. He said that such decisions affected only educational institutes.
He said that such moves would discourage students from getting education and they would be obliged to choose other ways.
“The government should not make such a move or it should provide alternative ways so students are not deprived of education,” he said.
Khanabad, another student from Katib Private University also said that he was not satisfied with the government’s decision regarding closure of educational centers, saying students may graduate with no education if the situation continues.
He said that past quarantines negatively impacted their education and they could not get their lessons as needed.
However, KhawaniHemmat, a university lecturer, said that the country was faced with great trouble and the situation and decision should be accepted.
The quarantine period should have been declared nationwide and it targeted educational centers first because students are vulnerable class of the society, he said. He believed the decision would have negative impacts.
On the other hand, Private Schools Union criticized the government in a statement and said that they were not consulted about closure of schools.
However, the Ministry of Higher Education said that the decision was made due to the third wave of coronavirus.
Hamid Obaidi, spokesman of MoHE told Pajhwok that coronavirus cases have increased in the country and the virus also targeted children.
He said that the health of students, teachers and people in general was important and that was the reason they ordered closure of educational centers. (Pajhwok)