West Bengal schools and colleges to reopen from today as Covid-19 cases drop

KOLKATA: West Bengal government has allowed the schools and colleges to reopen for classes 8 to 12 from Thursday (February 3, 2022) as the Covid-19 pandemic situation has improved in the state.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a press conference earlier, had said that colleges, universities and polytechnic institutes will reopen from February 3, 2022.

“Everything cannot be shut down indefinitely,” Banerjee told a press conference after a Cabinet meeting. “Covid-19 cases have now decreased. Therefore, it has been decided to open schools, colleges and universities in the state on the basis of discussions with the state education department,” she added.

She, however, said, "We will decide on reopening primary schools later."  Banerjee said the COVID-19 situation in the state has improved a lot, because of which certain relaxations are being given.

Open-air sessions for students up to class 7 from Feb 7

While schools in West Bengal will reopen for classes eight to 12 from Thursday, the state government has issued a notification for holding open air learning sessions from pre-primary level up to class seven in every locality from February 7 due to the pandemic situation.

The project named 'Paray Sikshalay' (education centre at your locality) will have segments like honing up vocabulary and numerical skills, storytelling, rhymes, song and dance as well as classes in respective subjects, the notification issued by school education department said.

Classes there will be held in two halves - from 11 am to 1 pm and between 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm - maintaining Covid safety rules, according to the notification issued on Tuesday.

Education Minister Bratya Basu earlier said 50,159 schools will be involved in the 'Paray Sikshalay' project in which classes will be held on open grounds adjacent to school buildings. Over two lakh regular teachers and 21,000 para-teachers (contractual teachers) will impart education to children there.

Around 60 lakh students would be benefited from the project, he said.

"In the COVID situation we realise a large number of students at many schools, especially in rural areas, are being deprived of classroom teaching which is impeding their growth. Our initiative will enable students to attend classes in the open space in their own locality. It has been hailed by UNESCO,” he had said.

Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad state president Trinankur Bhattacharya, however, said this unique initiative of the state government will benefit the students of lower classes who cannot immediately attend offline classes in buildings due to the pandemic situation. 

Meanwhile, the state government has also announced the easing of norms for zoos, parks and museums and tourist attractions. From Thursday, popular tourist spots like s zoos, museums and parks can operate at 75 per cent capacity.

The government also said there would be no restrictions on incoming flights from any city in the country, except Bengaluru, subject to the condition that the passenger is either fully vaccinated or has got an RT-PCR Test conducted within 72 hours of the flight’s departure. 

Also, incoming domestic flights from Bengaluru will be allowed to land on state airports only thrice a week – Monday, Wednesday and Friday.