Gujarat schools for Classes 1-9 to reopen from February 7 as new Covid-19 cases dip

The government, private and grant-in-aid schools can resume offline education for classes 1 to 9 from Monday in Gujarat.

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Ahmedabad: With new coronavirus cases declining, the Gujarat government on Saturday announced the reopening of schools for classes 1 to 9 from February 7.

A circular issued by the education department said that considering the COVID-19 situation, government, private and grant-in-aid schools can resume offline education for classes 1 to 9 from Monday.

But online teaching will also continue and students can choose between the two systems, it added. Offline or in-person education had been suspended for these classes after the infections began to increase rapidly from December 2021.

Offline classes will be run in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued by the government earlier, the circular said. Education Minister Jitu Vaghani said in a tweet that the decision was taken after the issue was discussed with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and at the state's core committee amid declining new coronavirus cases.

Gujarat on Friday reported 6,097 new COVID-19 cases, lowest since the high of 24,485 recorded on January 20 this year.