SHILLONG, Aug 26: After remaining closed since April, schools and colleges will reopen across the state from September 1.
The decision was made based on the recommendations of the Education department.
After attending a meeting of his cabinet on Thursday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma told reporters that in urban areas, classes I-V will continue in online mode; classes VI-VIII will entail only school visits (students will visit their school to submit assignments and interact with teachers to clear doubts etc) while classes IX-XII will be open for regular offline classes.
In rural areas, classes I-V will involve school visits while classes VI-XII will be open for regular classes.
Reacting to the fear of some parents that the schools are reopening but the children are yet to be vaccinated, Sangma said if there is a containment zone and people feel the schools nearby should not reopen, their suggestions will be considered.
“We will go with local sentiments and carry people along,” the CM said.
He said the government is ensuring that the schoolteachers are fully vaccinated. He said those who have not yet taken both doses, they will be required to produce a negative RT-PCR report on a regular basis. He said most college students have been already vaccinated.
Sangma said the government will not force the schools to reopen and the parents to send their children to schools. Their attendance will not be mandatory. Attending the classes will be the prerogative of the students and the parents, the CM said.
He said the state government felt it necessary to reopen the schools as the COVID-19 situation has improved and a large section of the people want the classes to resume considering that the students have suffered a lot in the pandemic.
Sangma admitted that there is some element of risk involved in the reopening of schools and colleges but added that people need to move on as a lot of time has been lost.
A section of the parents are relieved that the schools are finally reopening but they wonder as to how the teachers will cover the syllabus given the time lost.
Reacting to this, Additional Chief Secretary, Education, DP Wahlang said the syllabi would be revised.
“We will extend the academic calendar. We will also scale down the syllabus in due course,” he said.
