When will Goa schools reopen? CM Pramod Sawant spills the beans

An expert committee of doctors has given its go-ahead for the resumption of physical classes, Goa CM Pramod Sawant said.

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New Delhi: Goa is mulling to reopen schools for classes 9 to 12 before the Diwali festival. The schools, which have been closed since the outbreak of COVID-19 last year, are likely to resume physical classes before November 4, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said. 

“An expert committee of doctors has given its go ahead for the resumption of these classes in a phased manner,” the Goa CM was quoted as saying by PTI. 

The expert committee’s suggestion will be presented before the state COVID-19 Task Force, which will be taking the final call on the matter, Sawant added. 

Further, the Goa CM said the classes will resume in a phased manner. “Once the task force gives its approval, the state education department would be informed and it will start the classes step-by-step. These classes may resume before Diwali,” he said. 

The state government might reopen schools for students of board classes i.e. 10 and 12 first, followed by classes 9 and 11.

"Depending on the infrastructure of schools, the classes will begin for classes 9 to 12 by following all COVID-19 protocols and norms," Sawant stated. 

Meanwhile, Goa reported 113 new COVID-19 cases and 2 fatalities, which pushed the coronavirus caseload to 1,76,431 and death toll to 3,314, as per health department official on Thursday. The state currently has 856 active cases.

"With 5,135 new coronavirus tests, the total number of tests conducted in the state has gone up to 13,53,489,” the official informed. 

(With agency inputs)