SHILLONG, AUG 31: Schools and colleges are all set to reopen from Wednesday amid the challenges due to the ongoing second wave of COVID-19 pandemic.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui however said that consent of the parents is very important for reopening of the educational institutions.
“Although majority of the parents and teachers are welcoming the government’s decision to reopen the schools and colleges, this will be reviewed from time to time (due to the prevailing situation in the state),” Rymbui informed.
According to him, attendance is also not mandatory.
The state government has decided that class IX to XII will be opened in both rural and urban areas from September 1.
However, it will only be online classes for students of class I to V and school visits for class VI to VIII in as far as urban areas are concerned. In rural areas, there will be only school visits for class I to V and class VI to VIII will also be opened.
Stating that the health of students is the government top priority, Rymbui said the school managing committees (SMCs) will decide if there are any cases to ensure the students are not affected.
Asked, the education minister said that he does not foresee any problem and he is also not ruling out any problem due to reopening of the educational institutions.
“However in view of the prevailing situation, we cannot say one decision can fit all but we want to ensure that any decision taken should be a balanced one in order that students can get access to education and more importantly, their health will be our priority,” he said.
Stating that the government of India is yet to have a vaccine for children below 18 years of age, Rymbui however said, “Since all states in the country have started reopening the educational institutions, we also realized that students in Meghalaya have loss one and a half years so therefore they need to go back to their classrooms.”
“There is no one decision which can fit all situations during this time of crisis. Therefore, parents and teachers as well as students should understand that whatever we do, online classes cannot cater to everybody and majorities are at the receiving end. Keeping this in mind, we have decided to reopen the schools to provide equal opportunities to all, especially students from poor families who have no alternatives,” he added.
To another query, the education minister informed that as per report, more than 75% of the teachers have been vaccinated and many of them have also come forward for vaccination against the COVID-19.
“I hope and I wish that all the teachers should be vaccinated because as per protocols the teachers have not been vaccinated, they should produce every 10 days the RT-PCR negative report so that,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rymbui informed that the standard operating procedures (SOPs) have already been approved and notification in this regard have also been issued to respective DSEOs and SDSEOs to take necessary action.
By Our Reporter
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