Unlock school plan takes shape in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: After remaining closed for more than six months, prospects of reopening of the schools brightened with the State Government directing the school authorities to clean up the premises and other infrastructure. 

The moves comes in the wake of Centre issuing SoP for graded school reopening from October 15 and leaving it to states to take decisions based on the prevailing Covid situation in their region. Odisha Government has announced closure of schools till end of Puja vacations.

Minister of State for School and Mass Education Samir Dash had said that a decision will be taken in the last week of October on the reopening of schools in November as the Chief Minister has directed the closure till the Puja vacation. However, the directions to clean school infrastructure is indicative of plans to ready them for reopening. All infrastructure of the schools have lying unused since March after the enforcement of lockdowns and shutdowns due to Covid-19 pandemic. 

The School and Mass Education department in a notification asked all district education officers to ensure availability of teachers in their headquarters for maintaining the pre-Covid status.