Schools may reopen for senior classes from September 1; others to follow: Reports

Students of senior classes might be asked to come first to school, once it reopens, followed by other, sources told a media house.

The Centre has come up with a plan to re-open schools and other educational institutions in a phase-wise manner from September 1 until November 14. The modalities of the plan were discussed amongst the group of secretaries associated with the Group of Ministers on coronavirus management, headed by Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

The decision on re-opening of schools is likely to be notified as part of the final unlock guidelines that will be issued later this month, in which the states will also be informed on unlocking the remaining activities after August 31. As per the source, the final decision will be left to the state governments on how and when they want to bring back students to schools.

Broad Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will also be issued to schools and educational institutions. This follows a quick survey that was conducted earlier last month by the department of school education. Though the survey had shown that parents are not in favour of sending their wards to schools, the state governments have told the Centre that students who are from economically weaker sections are suffering and undergoing a tremendous academic loss.

A senior official, who was part of the discussion told a media house that, “The state, where the number of cases has been low, have expressed their keenness to bring back students to senior classes.”

The guidelines, which have been vetted by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Health Ministry, recommend the opening of schools and running it in a phased manner. For the first 15 days, students of Class 10 to 12 will be asked to attend the school. Different sections of a class will be given particular days to attend school.

North-Eastern states the hill states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the Union Territories may be in a position to open the schools and education institutions considering the number of coronavirus cases there. Sources have indicated that the Centre will recommend it and the state government will be given the liberty to take a final call on the same.

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