Earlier, there was a discussion upon re-opening the primary schools from January 3, 20222. This proposal was for the students of Std I to Std V., But the COVID cases are rising across the country! And the state doesn’t want to risk the stable condition of Odisha.
It is a major decision by the Odisha government to postpone the idea of reopening the primary schools. As per the health factors, it is not the right time to risk knowledgeable crowds in any of the premises.
The state government has noted the rise in COVID cases for the past two days. It says that Odisha reports 424 new cases in just 24 hours. There is a total of 37 Omicron cases in Odisha as of now. And keeping all of these factors in mind, reopening schools will be a risky move, says the Odisha government.
The School and Mass Education Minister, Sameer Ranjan Dash, also expressed similar views to this decision. He says that many parents are also requesting to drop the idea of re-opening schools. It is because of the COVID cases that are peaking steadily! Therefore, the state is responding to those requests.
The Weightage of the Decision
Sameer Ranjan Dash says that this decision is a collective thought of all health experts and stakeholders. There is a complete consultation-wise understanding of the facts before the decision comes to light.
The physical teaching mode for classes 6 to 10 will continue as it is. There will be no change in the schedule for that. Along with that, the summative assessment exam for the 10th standard students will take place. There will be no change in schedule for that as well and will commence from 5th January 2022. It is conducted by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE).
The Fear in the Other States
Apart from Odisha, other states such as Karnataka, West Bengal, and Maharashtra are also fearing the rise of cases. Therefore, they are also most likely to shut down their educational institutions by fearing the rise of Omicron cases.
The Haryana government is also ready to implement the closing of all schools across their state. Maharashtra is also monitoring the situation closely for schools and education hubs. Hence, there is a possibility that the education minister of state, Varsha Gaikwad, will make a decision soon.
The education minister of Maharashtra says, if there is a rapid rise in Omicron cases, the schools will close again. Karnataka government has called for postponing all events around colleges and schools. The education minister BC Nagesh says that the schools might close if the COVID cases keep on rising.
The fact is that not just Odisha but no other state is willing to risk the lives of students and teachers. If Omicron is a fast-spreading COVID variant, then the states need to take their precautions to avoid knowledgeable gatherings. The education sector is hit hard by the COVID pandemic. And it is still a troublesome and misaligned arrangement for them.
No Comment! Be the first one.