The State School and Mass Education Minister Samir Ranjan Dash on Thursday said that schools for Class 1 to 8 students may reopen in Odisha after the Puja holidays if the Covid-19 situation improved.
Dash said, "Let’s hope that the situation improves and physical classes for the rest of the students resume after the Puja holidays. Till the time the schools are not opened, online classes will continue."
Responding to an observation over the recent suicide by a minor boy after he was stopped from paying games on mobile phones by his parents, Dash said that parents should guide their wards and ensure the latter don't misuse mobile phones under the guise of attending online classes.
Also Read
On being asked whether his department will issue any guideline over the use of mobile phones by students, the Minister said, "I don't think our department has any role to play in issues related to use of mobile phones or issue any such guidelines... However, we hope that it will come to an end once the schools reopened."
Earlier, the State government had earlier issued a set of guidelines for schools which were reopened for students of Class- 9, 10 and 12 for the academic Session 2021-22.
Here are some of the guidelines:
1. Students coming to school must wear Mask and the teachers should ensure it.
2. Expenditure incurred for COVID Management should be met out of School Improvement Grant released from OSEPA.
3. Thermal Screening & Hand Sanitization of all the students coming to attend offline classes at the entry point.
4. Social Distancing inside the class room.
5. Any Student/Teacher/Non-Teaching Staff having mild symptom like cold, sneezing and fever should not be allowed to enter into the school.