Odisha: Students of Standard I-VII to attend physical classes from Feb 28

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government today stated even though schools for Class I to VII will reopen from February 14, 2022 as declared earlier, students can attend physical classes from February 28, 2022.

School and Mass Education Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi in a letter to the different offices functioning under the S&ME and Higher Education Departments mentioned students from Class I to VII can attend online classes and are not required to go to school till February 27, 2022.

The letter added teachers should come to school and ensure thorough cleaning and sanitization of the school campus.

It also mentioned District Collectors provide reports to the S&ME department saying that additional time is needed to undertake cleaning, bush cutting, minor repairs and ensure clean environment to small school going children as the schools had remained closed for nearly two years.

At the same time, the election process for panchayat raj institutions is going on. Most of the polling personnel engaged in the election consists of teaching and non-teaching staff of the School and Mass Education department. Polling personnel are undergoing training and engaged in other election related works.

Also, many school campuses will be used as polling stations where there will be heavy movement of polling personnel including police and general public including voters. This may create health hazards to the school going small children on account of Covid-19, it read.

Schools in the State have already been reopened for Class VIII onwards from February 7, 2022. The government had also declared students of KG to Class VII will attend physical classes from February 14, 2022.