BHUBANESWAR: Amid reports of cluster outbreak of Covid-19 cases in two hostels in the State, School and Mass Education department officials on Sunday said offline attendance is not mandatory for students in schools and they may opt for online learning, if parents wish so.“Attendance is not mandatory in schools and students, whose parents are not willing to send their children for physical classes, still have the option of e-learning,” said an official from Odisha State Education Programme Authority (OSEPA).
The official also said in case a student fails to attend physical classes, he or she may study the e-contents that has been made available on Diksha portal and other online platforms.OSEPA officials said that schools have been asked to follow Covid safety measures to prevent outbreak of Covid-19 infection on campus.However, there has been no enforcement for the same since Covid norms were eased in the State following decline in daily infection count.
The issue, however, has raised concern after 64 students studying in two different schools in Rayagada district tested positive for the virus amid fear of another possible wave of Covid in the State.Members of Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha, meanwhile, urged the State government to take adequate measures to ensure that Covid infection on campuses is checked and physical classes continue smoothly. Any further break to offline mode of study may cause more learning loss for students for which the government should ask schools to strictly follow Covid appropriate behaviour on campuses, members of the Mahasangh said.