Education department seeks West Bengal CM's nod for February school reopening

TNN | Jan 23, 2021 |KOLKATA: The school education department has sent a note to chief minister Mamata Banerjee in favour of re-opening schools from February after an 11-month closure.

According to sources, the note states that all schools are prepared to open the campuses and have not only sanitized the premises, but they have also readied SOP, including phased re-introduction of classes, beginning with boards students and gradually moving to lower classes. “The department has told the CM that schools are ready and that all precautions have been taken for a safe and phased reopening. Once a green signal is given, schools will be able to allow students back on campus by maintaining all Covid protocols,” said a school education department official. He added that education minister Partha Chatterjee had already briefed the CM, who had assured that a decision would be taken soon.

Another senior official said schools would in all likelihood be allowed to start functioning from February, beginning with senior class students. Several institutes are gearing up for such an eventuality. La Maritiere for Boys principal John Rafi has sent a notice to parents of students appearing for ISC exams this year, informing them the campus would gradually open from February 3, first for practical classes and then pre-board pen-and-paper exams. Practical classes for physics, chemistry, biology and computer science will be held at the school labs from February 3 to 12. La Martiniere for Girls principal Rupkatha Sarkar has told teachers about a possible re-opening in early February. The teachers have informally passed on the message to students.

Several other schools also hope to open their campuses in February, both for practical classes and pre-board exams. But they are waiting for the state government to announce the reopening date before they fix a schedule. Don Bosco School Park Circus had sent mails to parents of classes X and XII students, asking them if they would allow their kids to go to school for preboard exams in February. “Most parents were reluctant. So we held online exams in January,” said principal Fr Bikash Mondal.

St James’ School has, however, put pre-board exams on hold for now, hoping the state would allow schools to reopen soon. Principal T H Ireland said he would not hold pre-board exams till ICSE and ISC schedules were announced. “As the board exams will be a pen-and-paper test, the pre-board should also be in the same medium,” he said. Bobby Baxter, principal of Julian Day School Ganganagar, has deferred the pre-board exams by a month. “From January 4, we are holding only theory exams online. The practical exams will be held in February or at a time when the campuses reopen after securing the state’s approval,” Baxter said.

South City International School principal John Bagul said the school had started holding theory papers online for board examinees. It, too, will wait for the state nod before calling students for practical classes.