Schools and colleges in the state have been closed since the outbreak of the CORONA-19 pandemic in March last year. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that schools and colleges will reopen from November 15 and directed the chief secretary to take necessary measures to facilitate the process.
Institutions can Reopen in West Bengal after Durga Puja Holidays:
Ms Banerjee, after attending an administrative review meeting at Uttar Kanya in Siliguri, asked Chief Secretary H. Dwivedi to ensure proper cleaning and sanitisation of educational institutions before reopening. The chief minister had said earlier in August that educational institutions in West Bengal could reopen after the Durga Puja holidays, with classes starting on alternate days.
In Odisha, Schools Reopen for Class 8 Students:
Schools in Odisha reopened for Class VIII students on Monday following the COVID-19 protocol. According to a notification issued by the Department of School and Mass Education, both government and private schools have reopened for class 8 students and classes were conducted between 9 am and 12.30 pm.
Due to the onset of the pandemic, classroom teaching was suspended since March last year. Since then students have studied online. Classes for class 10 and 12 began on July 26 and for class 11 students from October 21. Online option will continue, students can attend offline classes in consultation with their parents.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP):
Karnataka Schools Reopen for Classes 1-5 Following CORONA Guidelines:
With the decline in CORONA-19 cases, the Karnataka government in consultation with the KOVID-19 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on October 18, has decided to reopen schools for students of class 1 to Class 5 from October 25, strictly following the CORONA-19 guidelines. It was decided to allow opening from 19 Appropriate practices and SOPs issued by the Department of Primary and Secondary Education.
Parental Consent Form Mandatory for Physical Classes:
The government has laid down certain rules like checking of CORONA-19 symptoms on admission, 50 per cent of the classroom capacity, provision of hand sanitisers, physical distancing of minimum one meter as practicable, no crowding, especially in schools. Entry and exit, and disinfecting classrooms and restrooms daily using a 1 percent sodium hypochlorite solution.
Every Employee who has been Vaccinated will be Allowed:
Only teachers and staff who have been vaccinated with two doses of CORONA-19 vaccines will be allowed from classes 1 to 5, it said, with face shields by teachers above 50 years of age, will be used additionally. Primary and Secondary Education Minister B. Nagesh had recently said that classes would be held for half a day during the first week and asked parents to send children to school without any fear.
The government had reopened schools for students of classes 6 to 8 from September 6 and for students of classes 9 to 12 from August 23.
