New Delhi: As hundreds of students and teachers in Andhra Pradesh contracted the deadly novel coronavirus, days after classes for senior school students began on November 2, the Odisha government announced that it has put on hold its decision to reopen educational institutions this month.
Speaking to news agency PTI, Odisha’s School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash said the state had earlier decided to resume school activities for students of classes 9 to 12 in November, but fears of a possible second wave of infections made the government reconsider its plan.
He asserted that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has recently cautioned about a possible second wave, and the department, going by his advice, has decided not to put students’ health and wellbeing at risk.
The minister said that any further decision on the matter would be taken after consultations with collectors and district education officers.
Earlier in the day, within 5 days of resumption of normal classes, eighty-four schools in five blocks of Pauri District in Garhwal Division of Uttarakhand were closed after 80 teachers test positive for the novel coronavirus. Schools in the state were re-opened on November 2, in line with the Centre’s guidelines.
(With agency inputs)