The Telangana government, on Monday, August 23, announced that all educational institutions in the state will reopen from September 1. This includes all private and public educational institutions, including Anganwadi. Several educational institutions and associations have welcomed the decision. Other states such as Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, too, have resumed the physical classes after the COVID-19 cases started reducing.
The decision comes after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao chaired a review meeting with state Education Minister Sabitha Indira Reddy and other department officials on reopening schools. According to reports, the Education Department had decided to reopen the school in view of reducing COVID-19 cases. The department had also reportedly taken feedback from schools and parents on reopening schools.
The CM directed the ministers and officials in panchayats and municipalities to clean and sanitise all educational institutions and hostels across the state by August 30. The CM also said that if a student has a fever, the principals and principals of the respective schools should immediately take them to the nearest primary healthcare centres (PHCs) and conduct COVID-19 tests.
Earlier, several private institutions had urged the state to reopen the schools, which were closed in view of the pandemic. “The education system in the state is in trouble due to COVID-19. The closure of educational institutions has created chaos in educational sectors, including students and parents, as well as private school teachers,” the CM noted.
At the meeting, officials discussed the COVOD-19 situation across the state. “The cases are under control in the state more than in the past. At present, the movement of people in the state is coming to a normal level,” he said.
“At the same time, medical officials brought to the attention of the officials that the continuous closure of educational institutions has increased the stress on female students, especially school children, and that it is a condition that can affect their future. In this context, the government has decided to re-open all types of educational institutions in the State from September 1, taking into account the views of all the participants in the conference, all the prerequisites for students pursuing all types of education in private and public educational institutions, from kindergarten to post-graduation,” he added.
“With the resumption of schools by the end of August, special care will be taken to clean the premises of educational institutions, including toilets, with chemicals such as sodium chloride and bleaching powder. The water tanks within the educational institutions should be washed clean,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said.
The Zilla Parishad chairpersons should visit their respective districts and zonal presidents in their respective zones to check whether all the schools are sanitised and kept clean. District officials should review the matter from time to time. The sanitation process of all types of public educational institutions should be completed by August 30, the CM directed.
The CM also urged students and parents to dutifully follow all COVID-19 measures, including sanitising hands and wearing masks.
Meanwhile, Karnataka schools saw a good turnout, schools in Andhra Pradesh initially saw lukewarm responses from students and parents.