Schools in Mizoram to remain closed till year end to prevent spread of Covid-19

All schools in Mizoram will remain closed till the year end to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, as per a decision taken by the state government on Friday, an official said.

Education Minister Lalchandama Ralte said classes for all students in all schools from kindergarten to Class 12 will be suspended as the Covid-19 infection is likely to be aggravted during winter.

Schools and other educational institutions are closed since March due to the lockdown. Although regular classes resumed for students of classes 10 and 12 on October 16, they were suspended after eight days following the detection of Covid-19 infection among several students.

Ralte said though the re-opening of schools has been tentatively scheduled for January 15 next year, the final call willtaken by the state executive committee, he said.

The state education department also decided to continue with online classes till December 18 for the current year and from January 5 to 14 next year.

It also agreed to cut down the syllabus by 30 per cent and instructed Mizoram Board of School Education (MBSE) to prepare model questions for students of classes 10 and 12 as they will write the board examinations next year.

Besides, bridge courses will be prepared for the students, the official said.

While the bridge courses for classes one to eight will be prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), the bridge courses for classes nine and 11 will be made by MBSE.

Mizoram government on Friday extended the ongoing ‘Covid-19 No Tolerance Drive’ from Noveber 30 to January 10 next year to prevent the spread of the contagion, a government order said on Friday.

The overall rate of detection of Covid-19 positive cases and local transmission rate has significantly declined due to the drive.

During it training institutes, religious places, cinema halls, auditoria, community halls, picnic spots and swimming pools apart from educational institutions will remain closed.

No social or public gatherings other than government functions will be allowed during Christmas and New year, the order said adding assembly of more than five people is prohibited in public places.

Night curfew has been clamped in all district headquarter towns, including state capital Aizawl from 8 pm to 4.30 am.

All shops will, however, transact normal business from December 1, the order added.