IT seems that the bizarre practice of keeping schools closed, to accord reception to ministers or to force students to line up top greet ministers, will not stop. In a recent case, more than 200 primary schools of an upazilla in Khulna were given holiday to accord reception to the state minister for fisheries and livestock on Saturday.

Even weirder is the fact that this was done at the behest of all the primary school teachers of the upazilla. The Upazilla Primary Education Officer (IIPEO) was a hapless onlooker who, according to his statement, did not want to go against the decision of the teachers.

We find the action of the said primary teachers as unacceptable as much as the argument in support of their action, i.e. the holiday was taken from the quota of the teachers, out of place. We wonder if it is within the remit of the teachers to declare public institutions closed, and if the defense proffered, the so called quota of teachers' holiday, can mean to suggest holiday en-masse on the same day by teachers. We also wonder whether or not the said state minister could have impressed on the teachers to organise the reception on a weekly holiday.

We had in these very columns repeatedly urged the ministry of education to take stern measures against those who initiate such actions. But nothing has changed. We would hope that the education ministry would take action to ensure that the routine of the schools did not fall prey to teachers' whim in future.