Odisha allows schools to reopen for higher classes from November 16

State has seen a steady decline in COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks

After a steady decline in COVID-19 cases over the last few weeks, the Odisha government on Saturday allowed schools to reopen after nine months for Standard IX to XII in a graded manner from November 16.

However, all academic institutions will remain closed till November 30. “The classes of 9th to 12th standard in schools under control of School and Mass Education Department will open from November 16 as per guidelines or standard operating procedure (SOP) to be issued by the department,” says the revised guideline issued by the Special Relief Commissioner for the month of November on Saturday.

Notwithstanding the closure of academic institutions, the government has permitted certain academic activities such as conduct of examinations, evaluation and administrative activities.

“School and Mass Education and Higher Education department may permit teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to schools for online teaching, tele-counselling and related work in areas outside containment zones only as per SOP issued by Union Ministries of Education and Health and Family Welfare,” the guideline says.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March, schools have remained closed. Teachers were involved in evaluation of examination papers in some schools and door-to-door survey in COVID-19-affected areas.

Online classes in Odisha have not been so successful unlike other States due to poor Internet connectivity in remote areas.

School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Das had himself admitted that only 22 lakh out of 60 lakh students had access to online classes. The number dropped again as parents returned to their workplaces with the family’s only smartphones following the lifting of lockdown.

Apart from broadcast classes through televisions and online classes through smartphones and computers, the department tried to tap into radios to reach out to students stranded in their villages during pandemic.

In anticipation of the opening of schools, the School and Mass Education Department had started cleaning and sanitising classrooms in the past few days.

Higher education institutions will be permitted to open only for research scholars and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory and experimental work.

In another significant decision, the government has allowed the entry of the public in places of worship with appropriate restrictions based on local assessment of situation with regard to spread of COVID-19 and in due consultation with relevant stakeholders.

International air travel of passengers excepted as permitted by Ministry of Home Affairs will continue to remain closed till November 30, while large social, political, sports establishment, academic, cultural, religious functions and other congregations will remain prohibited till November 30.

Marriage-related gatherings will be allowed with a maximum ceiling of 200 persons and funeral rites with a maximum ceiling of 50 persons.

The daily spike in COVID-19 cases, which were above 4,000, has come down below 2,000 in the past 12 days. Odisha’s case load grew to 2,90,116, while fatalities rose to 1,320 following 1,470 cases and 12 deaths respectively on Saturday.

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