Friday, 02 October 2020 | PNS | Dehradun
The Uttarakhand cabinet would take the important decision on opening of the schools in the state on the basis of the report submitted by the district magistrates (DM). The education minister of Uttarakhand Arvind Pandey told the media persons at the state secretariat on Thursday that in the ‘Unlock V’ guidelines, the union government has said that the state can open the schools after October 15. Pandey said that he has directed the additional chief secretary and secretary of his department to direct all the DMs to submit a report on possibilities of opening of the schools in the state. He said that the DMs would hold consultations with all stakeholders including the administrators of private schools and parents and submit their report within seven days. He added that the state cabinet would take a final call on the basis of the report.
Pandey informed that the schools in the state would be opened in a phased manner. “ In the first phases students of classes IX to XII would be allowed to go to the schools and in the second phase the students of classes VI to VIII would start going to the schools. The students of the primary section would be allowed in the third and last phase,’’ he said.
The minister added that his department is in touch with the health department and experts on the contagion of Covid-19. The schools in the state were closed on March 15 in Uttarakhand to prevent the students from the threat of Covid-19.
Pandey said that all safety measures would be taken once the schools are opened and arrangement for budget for sanitisation would be made for the government schools. He clarified that the parents would not be forced to send their wards to the schools when they are opened. On reduction of syllabus in wake of reduced session, the minister said that the guidelines of the central government are being followed in the state. He said that the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) had proposed to reduce the syllabus by 30 percent and accordingly the state had taken a decision.
Gandhi Jayanti sans students
The birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi would be celebrated in all the schools of the state. In view of their safety the students would not be allowed in the programme. The education minister Arvind Pandey said that teachers, officers and other employees would visit their schools and celebrate Gandhi Jayanti.
