Amid the decline of COVID-19 cases in the country and the subsequent unlocking , several states have begun the process of reopening schools.
While many states have reopened schools, several others are mulling over the issue.
We have collated a list of states where schools have reopened and where they have not:
Maharashtra
Maharashtra Education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Friday announced that schools in both rural and urban areas in the state will reopen on August 17
"Offline classes will commence in rural areas for students from class 5-8, while those in cities will be for students from class 8-12 following Covid-19 protocols," Gaikwad said, according to news agency ANI.
Around 5,947 schools in rural Maharashtra, which were shut due to the COVID-19, reopened on July 16 for classes 8 to 12 with safety protocols in place.
Karnataka
The Karnataka government has decided to reopen schools for students from class 9 to 12 (II PUC) from August 23, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Friday.
After taking stock of the COVID-19 situation in the state, he said that the government has decided to impose weekend curfew in districts bordering Kerala and Maharashtra, and that the existing night curfew across the state will begin from 9 PM instead of 10 PM.
Meghalaya
Meghalaya is looking to reopen educational institutions after mid-August, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said.
Speaking to reporters, Rymbui said there is a need to resume classroom teachings as soon as possible, especially in higher education institutes.
"About 50 per cent of students eligible to avail COVID-19 vaccination have taken the vaccine. This is expected to increase further by mid-August," he said on Friday.
"When everything has already started, and even the markets are opening, then why not the schools? This is my personal opinion, but (the decision) will have to be collectively taken with the Health Department," he added.
Delhi
An expert committee has been formed to consider whether or not schools should be reopened in Delhi. The decision to establish a committee for the task was taken at a DDMA meeting.
The panel will include experts and officials from education and health departments and will be mandated with the job of preparing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP's) for schools and making suggestions on how they will be implemented among other tasks.
Earlier, Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia recently said that the government has received around 35,000 suggestions on whether or not schools should be allowed to reopen.
He also said that they will observe the conditions in neighbouring states of Punjab and Haryana where schools have been allowed to reopen, before taking a decision.
Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu government on Friday proposed to resume physical classes for students from Classes 9 to 12 from September 1 and allow re-opening of medical colleges in the State from August 16.
Chief Minister of the State M K Stalin arrived at this decision after reviewing the Covid-19 situation with medical experts in the light of a marginal rise in the cases of late in the State.
The medical experts expressed the need to re-open the schools as the students were reportedly experiencing mental stress since they were confined to their homes for months.
Gujarat
Schools have reopened for classes 9 to 11 in Gujarat from July 26 as COVID-19 cases reduced in the state.
As per the SOPs issued by the education department, schools have to ensure social distancing and make wearing face masks mandatory along with COVID appropriate behaviour.
Punjab
Schools for all classes reopened in Punjab on July 9, with physical classes resuming after a gap of a few months for pre-primary levels.
The attendance was reported more from rural areas while turnout at many private schools was not that high. The state government on Saturday had allowed the reopening of schools for all classes from August 2 as it further relaxed Covid restrictions in the wake of declining cases
While all coronavirus-related protocols will have to be strictly followed, parents will have to provide written consent for their children to attend schools from 8 am to 2 pm.
Odisha
Schools across Odisha reopened on July 26 for the students of classes 10 and 12 with adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.
Physical classes for the standard 10 and 12 students were suspended in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Prior to reopening of the schools, classrooms and other spaces have been sanitised while teaching and non-teaching staff have been administered with both doses of the vaccines, an official said.
Though the schools reopened, it is not mandatory for students to attend physical classes. Attending schools will be the decision of the students and their guardians, the official said.
Uttar Pradesh
Schools in Uttar Pradesh will resume classes 9 to 12 from August 16, but with 50 per cent attendance, according to an order issued by the state government on Monday.
Apart from this, instructions have also been issued for commencement of classes in higher educational institutes from September 1, the UP government said in a statement.
"Students of high (class 9 and 10) and intermediate (class 11 and 12) schools will participate in the 75th Independence Day celebrations on August 15. And on August 16, teaching-learning will commence in the schools with half capacity, while adhering to the COVID-19 protocol," Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal told PTI
Haryana
Schools in Haryana reopened after almost three months for Classes 9 to 12 on July 16 amid strict COVID-19 protocols. For classes 6 to 8, schools reopened on July 23 in accordance with the state government's decision to open the institutions in a phased manner.
Madhya Pradesh
Schools in Madhya Pradesh reopened from July 26 after remaining closed for months due to coronavirus-induced curbs.
The MP government issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for reopening schools for Classes 11 and 12 with 50 per cent attendance starting from July 26.
As per the SOP, physical classes for students of Classes 9 and 10 will resume once a week from August 5. Classes will be held twice a week for students of Classes 11 and 12, and virtual sessions will continue simultaneously, an official said.
Class 11 students will attend schools on Tuesdays and Fridays, while those in Class 12 will go to schools on Mondays and Thursdays, he said.
Students of Class 9 will attend schools on Saturdays and for those in Class 10, sessions will be held on Wednesdays, the official added.
(With inputs from agencies)
