Schools may be asked to reopen at short notice - schools need to reopen for students to attend practical classes and clear doubts before the boards

TNN | Jan 3, 2021, Kolkata: The state education department has asked schools to be prepared to open at short notice, at least for senior school students, particularly those appearing for Class-X and Class-XII board examinations. Though a final decision will be taken only at the state secretariat, the department has asked schools to prepare for such an eventuality.

Dates for CBSE and state boards’ Class-X and Class-XII examinations have already been announced and schools need to reopen for students to attend practical classes and clear doubts before the boards. Schools have already opened in three states — Kerala, Karnataka and Assam — and Bihar is set to follow suit soon.

A senior official said the Bengal government may make an announcement within the next few days. “Government schools have been told to keep their facilities ready and sanitize their campuses so that in-person, laboratory classes can begin once the government allows reopening campuses for physical attendance of students,” the official said.

Both CBSE and West Bengal Council for Higher Secondary Education have decided to hold practical examinations in March.

“We started preparations before the beginning of winter vacation. Classrooms have been sanitized. We are also installing glass partitions to separate one student from the other in the lab,” said a school head.

St James School principal T H Ireland said schools were keenly following government announcements. “Though the CISCE is yet to publish dates for ICSE and ISC examinations, we have decided that those appearing for board exams will be the first to return to the campus,” Ireland said, adding 25 students will be allowed to conduct experiments in the lab at a time instead of 50.

“We may ask parents to commit that they will not send their kids to school with symptoms,” said a principal.