Assam wants staggered opening of classes from VI to XII

GUWAHATI: Assam government will be proposing Centre on Monday its plans to start the school academic session for 2020-21, which has been delayed by more than two months by the Covid-19 pandemic, though in a staggered way and only for students from class VI and above.
"We need to save our future and we need to start the classes as soon as possible. Online classes are not a complete alternative solution," Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
"On Monday the union HRD secretary will be holding a video conference with education secretaries of all states to discuss the opening of schools. We have already prepared an SOP and we will present our proposal but the final decision will be from the central government, which will be binding on us," Sarma said.
Sarma added, "Our plan is for a staggered system. First classes 10 and 12 will be started followed by classes IX and XI and then from classes VI upwards. Different classes will be held only for two days a week so that the physical distancing is properly maintained."
The state government plans to start classes for X and XII students by June 15 to start with. Students of these two classes will be appearing for their final board examinations in less than eight months from now. Class X and XII students can attend classes at the college or school near their present place of stay.
The state education department has already declared the month of May as summer vacation in all education institutions anticipating that centre would allow opening of schools from June 1. The last guidelines extending the lockdown from June 1 to 30 has put a spanner on the state’s plans, but with the HRD secretary holding a discussion with all state secretaries, it is anticipated that centre might allow a regulated opening of schools by mid-June.