THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Going by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statements on Sunday, the normal functioning of schools in the state may have to wait until January next year. “We are optimistic that the schools will function in a normal way from January 2021. A new and improved atmosphere will welcome the students when schools reopen,” the CM said during his ‘special news conference’. Though he did not elaborate on the plans, the statement triggered speculations that the schools may have to wait till January 2021 for the reopening.
When contacted, a senior officer of the education department told TNIE that the schools are ready to reopen at anytime. “Although the chief minister said the schools could be reopened in January, the education department is ready to reopen once the Covid-19 spread is brought under control,” the officer said.
“Maybe the expert committee had advised the government that the pandemic could be brought under control only by the end of this year based on the projection of the spread in the coming months,” said the officer.
The Unlock 4.0 guidelines announced by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday said the schools, colleges, educational institutions and other coaching institutes will remain shut till September 30.
The MHA guidelines allowed students of class 9-12 to visit their schools outside the containment zones on a voluntary basis to take guidance from their teachers.
Pinarayi also elaborated plans to improve the infrastructure facilities at the government schools in the state in the next 100 days. He said 11,400 schools, including all lower primary schools, will have hi-tech computer lab facilities when the schools reopen, while the work on 250 new school buildings would be started.
All government schools with more than 500 students have received Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB) funds for the construction of buildings, he said.