Kerala will reopen its schools starting from November 1 for classes 1-7 (primary section), 10 and 12. This decision to reopen schools in the state quickly came after a Covid-19 review committee meeting chaired by the state’s chief minister on Saturday.
The committee has also announced that the rest of the physical classes will resume from November 15.
The decision gives schools another one and a half months to prepare the educational institutions for offline classes after 500 days of closure due to the pandemic.
According to chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the decision came after health experts advised the state to resume physical classes for primary sections.
The first phase of reopening includes classes 10th and 12th as the students will have to attend board examinations this year.
He asked the health and education department to hold meetings and work together for making the necessary arrangements to reopen schools from November.
He also assured parents of children with co-morbidities that those with little immunity do not have to attend physical classes.
The state government will restart school health programs and take every precaution to ensure the safety of students. The schools were closed in March 2020 across the state due to the Covid-19 outbreak and have remained shut ever since.
Colleges to Reopen From October 4
Apart from schools, the colleges and universities of Kerala will resume physical classes for undergraduate and postgraduate students of final semesters from October 4.
An order from Sajukumar, Joint Secretary of Higher Education Department, said that the state would resume last semester offline classes.
While postgraduate courses will be allowed total attendance, the institutions will allow only 50 per cent of students in undergraduate courses.
Along with schools, the health department has advised colleges to follow Covid-19 health protocol strictly.
The government has directed educational institutions heads to stock required masks and sanitisers and provide handwash facilities.
Education Minister of the state, V Sivankutty, informed the press that the ministry would submit a detailed plan to the chief minister before October 15 for his clearance.
“Discussions will be held with teachers’ organisations, and the worries of parents will be allayed,” he added, addressing the concerns of the parents who expressed mixed feelings about the resumption of physical classes.
According to him, the schools would conduct classes in shifts. He also promised the education department’s commitment to ensure transportation facilities for schools without buses.
Private institutions of Kerala are also getting ready to reopen classes. “We will conduct classes in a blended mode,” said Indira Rajan, the Secretary-General of the National Council of CBSE schools in the country.
There are around 800 CBSE schools in the state. “We will take all necessary precautions,” she added.
Kerela Reported 19,653 Fresh Covid Cases on Sunday
The chief minister maintained that the state would continue imposing lockdowns in local bodies that show a Weekly Infection Population Ratio (WIPR) of 8 and above. Private labs will not continue antigen tests.
Meanwhile, the state saw 19,653 new cases on Sunday, and 152 recorded deaths, while the country reported 30,773 new cases and 309 deaths.
26,711 patients recovered, and the active cases now stand at 1,73,631. The test positivity rate is above 17 per cent.
During the past three months, Kerala accounted for almost 70 per cent of the total recorded Covid-19 infections in the country, with more than 30,000 cases reported after the Onam celebration.
