Schools for classes 9-12 to reopen in Bihar from September 28

The state education department on Tuesday allowed reopening of all government and private schools from September 28 for students of Class 9 to 12 seeking academic guidance on voluntary basis with a written consent of guardians.

The state education department on Tuesday allowed reopening of all government and private schools from September 28 for students of Class 9 to 12 seeking academic guidance on voluntary basis with a written consent of guardians.

Principal secretary of education department Sanjay Kumar said, “We have decided to allow reopening of schools in a phased-manner from September 28. Schools will be allowed to call 50% of teaching and non-teaching staff and 30% students.”

“School management will have to ensure enforcement of Covid-19 norms. Wearing face mask, thermal screening at entrance gate and distant seating arrangement are mandatory. Students will have to carry personal hand sanitizer and water bottle. School management will have to ensure no exchange of articles among students,” Kumar added.

Education department has clarified that the schools outside containment zones will resume and students and staff members living outside containment zones will be allowed to attend the school.

Accordingly, the city-schools are gearing up for the reopening under a new normal. Many schools have decided to reopen after September 30 as their schools have been made exam centre for conducting on-going compartmental exam of CBSE.

CBSE’s city coordinator Rajiv Ranjan Sinha said schools have welcomed the decision. He said, “School premises will be sanitised every day. Guardians will be responsible for picking and dropping of their wards.”

Similarly, Bishop Scott Boys’ School is also gearing up for reopening. School’s vice-principal Ashfaque Iqbal said, “We have made provision for taking virtual consent of guardians via google forms while students have been advised to carry written consent on the day of reopening. We have planned for calling students by preparing subject-wise roster.”

“On the basis of virtual interaction with parents, we have analysed that a good percentage of students, especially those who are supposed to take board exam next year, are willing to visit school for academic guidance,” he added.

Meanwhile, reopening decision has evoked mixed response among parents. Sunita Singh, whose daughter studies in Class 10, said, “Online classes are not as effective as physical classroom and coaching institutes are also closed. Academic performance of students is likely to get hampered in the absence of proper guidance.”

As per MHA guidelines, all schools, colleges and coaching institutes in the state will remain closed for regular operation till September 30.