Covid spike: Schools shut in Punjab, Haryana; no word from Chandigarh yet

Chandigarh’s government schools are currently closed for winter vacations till January 8, while private schools are gradually reopening with different vacation schedules

Even as neighbouring Punjab and Haryana have decided to close schools due to the spike in Covid-19 cases, Chandigarh has yet to take a call on the matter.

Teenagers in the 15 to 18 age group queueing up to get vaccinated against Covid-19 at a health centre in Sector 45, Chandigarh, on Wednesday. (Keshav Singh/HT)

Government schools are currently closed for winter vacations till January 8. “We are keeping a watch on the situation and higher officials will take a decision before the schools reopen,” a senior official of the UT education department said.

Meanwhile, though the department had advised private schools to follow the same winter vacations’ schedule, most have different holiday spans.

St John’s High School, Sector 26, had declared its winter vacations from December 27 to January 6. However, principal Kavita Das confirmed that the school will be opting for online classes till further directions from the administration.

At St Kabir Public School, Sector 26, administrator Gurpreet Bakshi said the school plans to reopen in hybrid mode from January 11.

President of the Independent Schools’ Association, HS Mamik said they had reached out to the UT administration and the UT education department, but were told that a decision on this was likely by Thursday after which the schools will decide the next course of action.

Meanwhile, parents are demanding clarity soon. “Parents are worried about the situation and have been left hanging in balance by the authorities. We also need to plan in advance based on what the administration has to say,” said Nitin Goyal, president of the Chandigarh Parents’ Association.

After staying closed during the second wave, city schools had started reopening in a phased manner from July 2021 onwards.