PUDUCHERRY: A few days after Chief Minister N Rangasamy announced that schools and colleges would be reopened on July 16, Home Minister A Namassivayam, who holds the education portfolio, on Thursday said that the government has decided to postpone the reopening, considering the current Covid situation in the Union territory.
"A new date will be announced after once again reviewing the situation after some time and in consultation with the Chief Minister," said Namassivayam, shortly after calling on the Lt Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan in this regard.
The Chief Minister had said on Sunday that schools would reopen for Classes 9-12 on July 16 and colleges would also resume classes the same day. He also said that the decision was taken as the Covid situation was improving in the Union territory.
The government’s U-turn came after NDA ally AIADMK and opposition Congress urged it to postpone the reopening of schools as Covid cases were still not low enough.
Puducherry on Thursday reported 103 fresh cases and one death from Covid. The number of active cases is 1307, of which 257 are being treated in hospitals.