Bhubaneswar: With COVID-19 positive cases recording a steady decline in the State over the past few weeks, School and Mass Education (SME) Minister Sameer Ranjan Dash Wednesday declared the reopening of schools across Odisha for Standards IX to XII in a graded manner after November 15.
Dash added that SOP for the opening of schools is being prepared by the department.
Reducing the stress of the parents who are on a fear of their children may be infected with the COVID-19 virus Dash clarified that the online classes would continue if parents decide against sending their wards to school.
Notably, October 31 the State government revised the guidelines for the month of November and issued the first set of guidelines in which it has mentioned that the opening of schools for higher classes from November 16.
However, the government had asked the SME department to take appropriate decision on the date of re-opening of classes IX-XII, in a graded manner, after November 15 in consultation with stakeholders and issue SOP.
The minister also said that a discussion regarding the opening of schools amid the COVID-19 pandemic will be held with the collectors of the 30 districts and district education officers. “There will be no further reduction in the syllabus and the department will prepare a new academic calendar for the remaining 70 per cent of the syllabus”, added Dash.
However, the Odisha government to ease the examination of the students for Class I to XII in the academic year 2020-21 had reduced the syllabus by 30 per cent as the classroom study of the students has been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PNN
