THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of an increase in Covid-19 cases the state government has decided to suspend offline classes of students up to standard nine from January 21.
Their classes will continue on the online mode for two weeks, till the government reviews the situation. The decision, among other things, was taken in a Covid review meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday. The health experts predict the peak of the third wave in the state to begin from the last week of January.
The offline classes of standards 10,11 and 12 will continue, on the back of better vaccination coverage of students in the 15-18 age group.
The education department will issue a detailed order regarding the class on January 17.
The meeting also decided to use schools as vaccination centers in order to complete the vaccination of children in the age group of 15 to 18.
Considering the dynamic situation of the Covid-19, the Chief Minister directed that any institution shall be shut down if there is cluster formation. The decision on this is vested on the heads of the institutions. The state reported Covid clusters in various higher educational institutions this week.
It was also decided to conduct a maximum number of government programmes through the online mode.
The review meeting also decided against imposing weekend lockdowns and night curfews. Various state governments have imposed these measures as part of the containment measures.