School reopening talks after Kali Puja

Bengal government would think about reopening schools only after Kali Puja, which falls on November 14. Schools directed not to do 'anything’ in regard to reopening which 'contravenes’ the guidelines of the state govt concerned

TT   |   Calcutta   |  01.10.20  : Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said the Bengal government would think about reopening schools only after Kali Puja, which falls on November 14.

“We will think about (reopening) the schools only after Kali Puja. We cannot give it a thought now. The situation has not become normal yet,” Mamata said while addressing an administrative review meeting in north Bengal.

Kali Puja and Diwali are on the same day this year.

The chief minister made the comment about the prospect of reopening schools while announcing that the Integrated Child Development Services centres would remain closed till October 31.

At Sunday’s virtual meeting that education minister Partha Chatterjee had with vice-chancellors, it was decided that undergraduate classes in Bengal’s government-run colleges and government-aided universities were unlikely to start before the first week of December. 

Asked about the schools then, Chatterjee had said no decision had yet been taken. 

An official of the education department said the government was unsure about the reopening of schools, given the rise in Covid cases.

“As the festival season is approaching and assembly in public spaces is feared, no one knows whether the situation will turn for the worse. Therefore, the government is not saying anything on when the schools will reopen,” the official said.

Another official said that in colleges and universities, some of the classes still can be held on digital platforms. In government schools, that would be difficult.

In Bengal, the number of government-run primary schools is close to 52,000.  The number of secondary and higher secondary schools is 12,000 and 7,000, respectively.

Metro had on September 18 reported that the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) clarified that the partial reopening of schools in keeping with the Unlock IV manual issued by the home ministry would have to be “in conformity’’ with the directives of the respective state governments and any reopening would be subject to their permission.

The council had directed the schools not to do “anything’’ in regard to reopening which “contravenes’’ the guidelines of the state government concerned.

Mamata had said towards the end of July that the state government might reopen schools and colleges on alternate days in September “if the situation improves in August’’. 

The plan had to be scrapped as the Covid situation continues to be grim, said an official of the education department.