As the number of cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) in India has decreased, plans are being made to reopen schools and institutions in several states. On Friday, Haryana announced that government and private schools for students in grades 9 to 12 will reopen on July 16 with written permission from parents allowing their children to physically attend classrooms. On Friday, the Gujarat government made a similar declaration, announcing that educational institutions will reopen from July 15 forward. Bihar is also making preparations to resume classes.
According to the Haryana school education directorate’s notice, high school students can physically attend lessons from July 16, while middle school kids (classes 6 to 8) can begin from July 23. According to the order, everyone on the premises will be required to follow the relevant Covid-19 related regulations, and a decision on the reopening of primary schools will be taken later.
However, students who do not wish to attend school will be able to study online, and their absence will not affect their grades.
Schools for class 12 students, as well as colleges for undergraduate and postgraduate students, will resume in Gujarat on July 15, according to sources. “However, the option of an online mode of study will continue for students unwilling to attend the school and the attendance will not be enforced,” the agency quoted Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani as saying.
These colleges would be allowed to operate with half the number of students on campus, but students would be free to attend classes on a voluntary basis.
However, no decision has been made in any of the states about the reopening of elementary school classes, despite the fact that physical classes for high school or middle school students are gradually reopening. It was said that any decision made in this regard would be communicated to the public in a timely manner by a government notification.
