Reopening schools amid COVID-19 outbreak- states still contemplating decision; details

In the last announcement by the central government, reopening schools was allowed from October this year, after physical classes were banned as the Coronavirus broke out in the country. While states have permitted for senior students to now attend schools, some states are dealing with the question, whether to reopen schools or not. According to a report by The Indian Express, Maharashtra has been considering to start physical classes in schools come November 23 whereas Odisha has put a hold on its earlier decision to reopen schools from November 15. Gujarat, on the other hand, is preparing an SOP for physical classes for senior students.

Ever since some schools have reopened, COVID-19 cases have surfaced in Uttarakhand and Andhra Pradesh. Teachers and students were found positive for the viral infection and this has raised some concerns among parents as well as administrators. In Uttarakhand, after a week of reopening schools, 80 teachers across 20 government schools tested COVID-19 positive, the report said. On Friday, these schools were closed and the district administrations have ordered contact-tracing to check the spread of infection.

In Andhra Pradesh where schools resumed classes for senior students on November 2, 600 students along with 830 teachers were tested positive for Coronavirus in the last four days. According to Joint Director (Education) Pratap Reddy, the state is planning to continue classes with extreme precautions in order to keep the students and staff safe.

Justifying the decision to continue with classes, Commissioner of School Education V Chinna Veerabhadrudu said people need not be alarmed as there are more than 5 lakh students who have been attending schools and only 262 had tested positive. While Classes VI to VIII is set to resume from November 23, Class I-V will begin from December 14.

Maharashtra state government has set a tentative date of November 23 to start schools along with junior colleges. Maharashtra School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad said that schools will begin for senior students and an SOP has been prepared. The functions will only begin once they have the consent from parents. The decision to open schools has been revoked in Odisha among dwindling fears of COVID-19 second wave. As per Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the state is expecting a second wave of Coronavirus between December 15 and January 15. Apart from this, the state’s decision has influenced Andhra’s growing cases.