GUWAHATI: There appears to be an uncertainty surrounding the reopening of educational institutes in Assam from September 1 as planned.
The state’s Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the government would analyse suggestions and discuss with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) prior to taking a call in this regard.
“We will analyse the suggestions that we are receiving from people. We will also take up the matter with the MHA. The final decision will be taken after August 25,” he said.
On August 1, the Minister had announced that the state was preparing to reopen schools and colleges from September 1. “We are mentally preparing to reopen schools and colleges from September 1 pending the Central government’s approval,” he had then said.
He had also said that there would be no school for students up to class IV. The reopening of schools will come with a set of riders. One of them is that all teachers and staff have to “mandatorily” undergo the Covid-19 tests before August 30. Another is that the classes for students from V-VIII will be held in the open but not more than 15 students will be in attendance at a time.
Assam has over 75,000 Covid-19 cases including 182 deaths. There are over 22,000 active cases.
Trust to give Rs 5000 each to plasma donors
A charitable trust in the state’s Hojai district has decided to offer Rs 5,000 each to the first 100 donors of plasma from the district.
The Omprakash Pramila Devi Memorial Charitable Trust took the decision responding to the call of Sarma, who is also the state’s Health Minister, and in consultations with the district administration.
Appealing to the Covid-19-recovered to donate plasma, Sarma had said that the observations in the US and India were that plasma therapy has no negative impact and 90% Covid-19 patients recover if plasma could be given in a moderate state of illness. Responding to his call, a lot of people donated plasma.