Will Schools For All Grades Reopen In Odisha After Puja Holidays?

Bhubaneswar: Education Minister Sameer Ranjan Dash has hinted at reopening of schools after Durga Puja holidays.

In a message, the Minister said “Let’s hope that the situation improves and physical classes for rest of the students resume after Puja Holidays.”

However, till the time schools reopen, online classes will continue, he added.

His statement comes a day after Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin received approval for emergency use in children above 2 years in India from Subject Expert Committee (SEC) on COVID-19.

There have been apprehensions over reopening of schools and resumption of offline classes for all grades.

The approval of vaccines by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) might pave the way for reopening of schools, at least from the new session.

Earlier, Odisha Government had issued a set of guidelines during the reopening of schools for Class 9 onwards. Those include:

Earlier, the State government had earlier issued a set of guidelines for schools which were reopened for students of Class- 9, 10 and 12 for the academic Session 2021-22.

Students must wear mask to school and teachers should ensure it; Expenditure incurred for COVID Management should be met out of School Improvement Grant released from OSEPA; thermal screening and hand sanitization of all students must at entry point; Social distancing should be maintained inside the class room and any staff  or student having mild symptom like cold, sneezing and fever should not be allowed to enter the school.