School, Colleges reopening in UP: The Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has decided to resume normal classes in the state from this month (August) with proper COVID-19 protocols. While intermediate schools in the state will re-open from August 16 with 50% capacity, colleges and universities will resume from September 1, news agency ANI reported.
Moreover, the UP government has given instructions to officials to begin the process of entrance for students in colleges/universities from August 5, Thursday.
The decision to open educational institutions in the state comes nearly a month after Unaided Private School Association (UPSA) urged Deputy CM Dinesh Sharma to resume normal classes in a phased manner.
“When gyms, malls, stadiums have been reopened then why not schools. Already, students’ education has suffered a lot during the two Covid waves. Now, when the cases have dropped the offline classes should be resumed,” Times of India had reported quoting UPSA president Anil Agarwal as saying.
Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, schools have been shut in India since March 2020. Some states resumed normal classes after September 2020, but after an unprecedented surge of COVID-19 cases earlier this year, schools were forced to switch classes to the online mode. However, as cases recede, a few states announced that physical classes will resume from August.
Meanwhile, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government is also expected to take a final decision regarding the resumption of normal classes in a day or two.
Last week, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had sought feedback from stakeholders on schools reopening in the national capital. Sisodia had invited stakeholders including parents and teachers and asked them to send their suggestions via email to the government on whether schools and colleges should re-open and in what manner.
While several parents and teachers have shown their interest in reopening schools, some expressed apprehension over the safety of their wards.