School Reopening: List of states resuming offline classes today amid drop in Covid-19 cases

NEW DELHI: Schools in several states including Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Chandigarh, Odisha, Karnataka will reopen today, February 14, 2022, after being shut down due to Covid-19, Omicron variant, hijab row and the assembly elections. State governments have also issued Covid-19 guidelines for school, college reopening in the respective states.

The ministry of education on February 3 issued modified guidelines for school reopening to curb the spread of Covid-19. As per the revised guidelines, the state governments and union territories can decide whether the consent of parents or guardians are required for students to attend physical classes. Subsequently, state governments started issuing school reopening SOPs.

Uttar Pradesh

The Uttar Pradesh government has decided to reopen schools for Classes nursery to 12 from February 14 as the state witnessed a decline in COVID-19 cases. In the latest order by the Yogi government on COVID-19 guidelines, the state has allowed classes from nursery to Class 12 to resume offline classes from February 14. The Uttar Pradesh government had ordered the closure of schools till January 30 due to third wave of Covid-19.

Karnataka

High schools across the state up to Class 10 were shut in the wake of the Hijab row. A day ahead of the school reopening, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday expressed confidence that peace and normalcy will prevail. He also said that a decision regarding the reopening of Pre-University and Degree colleges will be taken after assessing the situation.

Kerala

Kerala schools for Classes for 10, 11 and 12 and college students begin from February 7. “The classes for children from Class 1 to 9, creche and kindergarten will start from February 14," a release issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.The health department in the first week of February said it has completed vaccination of 72% of children in the age group of 15-18, while the second dose has been administered to 85% of the targeted population.

Chandigarh

Chandigarh schools and coaching institutes will reopen today with 100% capacity. “Schools and coaching institutions will be allowed to start functioning with full capacity in hybrid (offline or online mode) for all classes with effect from February 14, 2022,” said an official notification.

Odisha

Kindergartens and playschools in Odisha will reopen from February 14 as the third coronavirus wave sees a downward trend. COVID-appropriate behaviour will be followed scrupulously by the respective private pre-school management, the Information and Public Relations Department said. Teaching, non-teaching and support staff must have been fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID vaccine to be allowed entry in school. It also requested the school authorities to take utmost care of the small kids.

However, the state government recently said schools for students of Classes 1-7 will reopen from February 28 and not February 14 due to the upcoming panchayat elections in Odisha. Online teachings will continue as before, school and mass education secretary BP Sethi said in a letter to district authorities.

Meghalaya

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has said schools will reopen for Classes 1-5 from February 14, and no mandatory testing will be required on entry into the state for double-vaccinated people.