Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Students of class 1 to class 8 should gear up as schools in the state might open in mid-September. School education department will take a final decision on reopening schools for primary and middle schools in the state in the coming three days.
The school education minister Inder Singh Parmar said, “Shutting down schools to control Covid-19 has had a bad effect on education of children, so we cannot keep schools closed anymore and have to reopen them soon considering the stable situation.”
In the next three days i.e. by August 30, the department will consider reports and analysis of the state and take the final call on reopening schools in state for all the classes.
The decision will include various standard operation protocols (SOPs) for attendance and conducting classes.
Further, after meeting with school representatives, the education department will prepare a strategy for schools.
If the situation of Covid-19 cases remains in control with few or no cases being reported, then by the second week of September, we are considering opening schools for young children as well, said Parmar.
However, the report from an expert panel, set up by an institute under the ministry of home affairs (MHA), predicted a third wave of Covid-19 hitting the country anytime between September and October and suggested significantly ramping up vaccination pace.
The report has also said that children will have a similar risk as adults since paediatric facilities, doctors and equipment like ventilators, ambulances, etc. are nowhere close to what may be required in case a large number of children become infected.
Extension for senior classes
Along with the District Crisis Management Committee, the officials of the School Education Department and the principal will review the cases of corona found in the districts.
The number of days for conducting offline classes for Class 9th to Class 12th will be extended. It is being considered to conduct class for these classes thrice in a week from one and two allowed at the moment.
It is being considered to start Classes from 6th to 8th. It is likely to start two days a week.
Lastly, Classes from 1st to 5th can be started in the second week of September. It is likely to start with one day a week.
Private school owners had approached minister earlier this week
Earlier in the week, private school operators had met the education minister. They were assured by the minister that schools would be reopened soon.
The school operators had warned about protesting if the school was not opened for all the children.
In view of all this, now the school education department is working on the planning to open the schools which have been closed for the last two years for all the children.
Corona status in state
In the last 9 days in the state, 71 infected and 1 death have been reported in 11 districts.
Of these, 20 new cases and 1 death have been reported in Jabalpur.
At the same time, 19 cases have been reported in Indore, 14 in Bhopal, 8 in Rajgarh, 2-2 in Panna, Rewa and Hoshangabad. Further, one case was reported in each of the following districts: Gwalior, Sagar, Raisen, Singrauli.
So far, 7,92,103 people have been infected in Madhya Pradesh. Out of these, 7,81,508 have been cured.
So far, 10,516 people have died in the state due to Corona. The recovery rate is 98.66%.
