Schools not to reopen in October; decision after mid November: West Bengal Chief Minister

The decision on Schools reopening in the state to be taken by mid-November; West Bengal Chief Minister announced.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has announced that the schools in the state will not reopen anytime soon and the decision regarding the same will be taken by the state government before mid-November. The Ministry of Home Affairs has released Unlock 5 guidelines, where it allowed more activities outside the containment zones including opening up of cinema halls, theatres and multiplexes with only 50 per cent of the seating capacity from October 15, 2020. 

As per the guidelines, the governments of all the states and UTs have been given the flexibility to decide on reopening of schools and other educational institutions after October 15, in a graded manner. The Home Minister also allowed social, religious and political gatherings beyond the limit of 100 persons, subject to certain conditions.

Mamata Banerjee in an administrative review meeting in North Bengal said a decision in regard to school reopening would be taken after Kali puja on November 14, 2020. All schools have been shut in Bengal since March 16. "Any decision on reopening of schools will be taken after Kali puja," the Chief Minister said.

It was earlier when the state education minister Partha Chatterjee informed that West Bengal would prefer waiting for the pandemic to slow down as it was not in favor of "exposing its students to health risks" by reopening schools and beginning with the classes.

At the meeting, Banerjee also announced that 50 acres in north Bengal have been allotted to Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University for its second campus. "Work for the second campus will start soon," she said.

Read More:

• Unlock 5 Guidelines: Schools to open in graded manner after October 15
• Universities, Colleges in West Bengal to begin new academic session for both UG,PG levels from December 1