Bhubaneswar: In what can be termed as a preparation for reopening of higher secondary schools in Odisha, the State Government has asked all the principals to clean and sanitize the campuses.

The government has asked the higher secondary school authorities to keep classrooms, laboratories, and toilets ready and furnish status report in a week.

"I am to inform you that resumption of physical mode of learning in all higher secondary schools across the State is hampered due to Covid Pandemic since March 2020. The school campus needs sanitation and cleaning. Further, accessories and amenities like functional drinking water, toilets, classrooms, laboratory and equipment need to be brought to the pre-Covid situation," Brundaban Behera, Director, Directorate of Higher Secondary Education wrote in a letter to the principals of all government and non-government higher secondary schools.

"In view of the above, you are requested to take up the matter as expeditiously as possible and inform the status of the above requirements by return post preferably within a week," added Behera.

All educational institutions in the state were closed in March, this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.