The HRD Ministry on Monday started consultations with States about the reopening of schools in the country which along with other academic institutions and collages has remained shut across from March 22 onwards due to the Covid-19 pandemic related lockdown.
HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, a couple of days ago, had indicated that the Government is planning to reopen schools across the country after August 15.
The opinions and suggestions from the State Governments will now be forwarded to the Union Health Ministry for the necessary coordination and prepare plan of action and the Standard Operating Procedure (SoP).
HRD Ministry sources said School Education Secretary Anita Karwal spoke to her counterparts in States and took their opinion on the opening of schools in the coming months, and online and digital education. “She discussed with State education secretaries about the preparedness for the opening of schools, and what kind of arrangements will be made by the administration for the health and safety of students, and the hygiene measures in schools,” Ministry sources said. Karwal earlier this month indicated that the pandemic has put the focus on the quality of digital education.
A senior HRD Ministry official said the States education secretaries have updated the HRD Ministry about the opening of schools and informed that everything will depend on the situation of Covid -19 pandemic in the State during the coming days.
“Process for opening of schools has begun but it takes more than two months to open schools, depending on Covid-19 pandemic situation,” said the official.
Earlier in the day, the HRD Minister tweeted, “I have directed Anita Karwal, the Secretary of School Education and Literacy department, MHRD is taking a meeting of all state education secretaries to discuss health and safety of students, hygiene measures in schools and issues regarding online/digital learning in their States.”
Pokhriyal directed officials to focus on online and digital education as much as possible. He cleared that no schools and colleges will open without SoP issued from Home Ministry for the opening of schools and all schools and colleges will have to follow the guidelines of Home Ministry as well as Health Ministry.
After the meeting sources said, “MHRD is taking all precautionary measures before the opening of schools and colleges, and ensuring that Covid-19 pandemic could not impact students in any part of the country.”
“HRD Ministry doesn’t want to take any risk regarding the health and security of students so HRD Minister has advised officials not to take any hurried decision for quick opening of schools that may spread Covid-19,” he added.
As per the schedule announced last month by HRD Ministry, from July 1 to 15, there will be exams and the schools will open after the exam and therafter all the pending entrance examinations like JEE-IIT NEET etc will be conducted.