Schools, colleges and universities in West Bengal will reopen for physical classes on February 3, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Monday.
Schools will be allowed to conduct physical classes for Classes VIII to XII. This is the first time after the Covid-19 pandemic, students of Class VIII will be allowed to attend in-person classes. Schools had reopened for students of Classes IX to XII in February last year but they were shut again in April. The institutions had reopened again for Classes IX to XII on November 16 but they returned to only online classes on January 3 because of the recent surge in Covid – 19 cases.
The government will decide on reopening the schools for the junior classes later, the chief minister said addressing a press conference today.
She said that the Covid-19 situation is gradually improving in the state because of which the state government has decided to give certain relaxations including restarting physical classes in educational institutions.
“We can’t keep everything closed indefinitely…. Coronavirus cases are decreasing in Bengal. We have decided to reopen schools, colleges, universities including polytechnics from February 3 after discussing the matter with the education minister and officials of the department,” the chief minister said.
The higher and school education departments will issue separate guidelines for the institutions to run the offline classes, a senior government official said.
A campaign had recently started in West Bengal in favour of reopening of schools and colleges. Several organisations of students, parents and teachers are demanding to know why the government wasn’t taking any initiative to reopen educational institutions when most other activities were being allowed.
Four public interest litigation cases have been filed in Calcutta High Court demanding reopening of schools.
All ICSE and ISC schools will also reopen on February 3 as per the government’s decision, Gerry Arathoon, secretary and chief executive of the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations said after the chief minister’s announcement.
“Schools have reopened in most states. The council-affiliated schools in Bengal are keen to reopen their institutions. But they have to follow the state government’s policy regarding restarting the physical classes. We are happy that the state government has given the go-ahead for conducting the offline classes in schools,” Arathoon told EducationWorld.
Saraswati Puja is on February 5 and the chief minister today said that the schools and colleges will be allowed to hold the festival.
Goddess Saraswati, considered the deity of learning, music and culture is traditionally worshipped in Bengal and in all educational institutions on Basant Panchami.
“The schools and colleges will reopen on February 3. No classes will be held on February 4 and 5. So there won’t be any problem for the students to hold Saraswati Puja,” the chief minister said.
There was uncertainty whether the schools would be allowed to hold Saraswati Puja or not this time because the institutions are closed.
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Posted in News, States
