West Bengal schools and colleges reopens today with schools calling back their students in batches for reduced hours.
West Bengal schools and colleges reopen today – November 16 – after more than 20 months due to the pandemic. The school has reopened for classes IX to XII, as per the government schedule.
The resumption was initiated after ensuring strict guidelines and COVID-19 safety protocols are followed diligently. The phase-wise reopening of West Bengal schools did not make attendance mandatory. The reopening decision was taken due to a fall in COVID-19 cases in Bengal and an increase in vaccination rates.
West Bengal School Reopening: Guidelines
Schools will be calling back students in batches. Some institutes have asked parents to update their kid’s health status before they join the campus. Students and staff members were asked to wear masks, use sanitisers and maintain social distance.
Sharing of stationery items, tiffin and other articles are prohibited due to the pandemic. Most schools have even set up isolation rooms for students showing symptoms of cold, cough, fever or anything related. Those who show any symptoms will not be allowed on the campus during the thermal screening at the entry.
The private and the government schools
Most private schools in the city have decided to opt for blended mode. Delhi Public School, Ruby Park (South Kolkata) has allowed students of classes IX and XI for physical classes. Students of classes X and XII will come to schools for doubt-clearing and practical lessons.
Calcutta Boys’ School will have a five-minute break between the two 35 minute long classes for sanitisation purposes. Most of the reputed private schools in the city have done away with a tiffin and physical education classes. The new routine is a maximum of four to five hours long and does not have any recess.
Meanwhile, government or government-sponsored schools will reopen in staggering ways. “All government schools will allow entry of students in small batches. There would be a separate time for classes IX and XI students,” said Chiranjib Bhattacharya, president of the State HS Council.
Reopening of lower classes is dependent on the situation. Since the state is expecting the third wave of the pandemic and the news of people becoming covid positive even after double vaccination is rising, the authorities will first judge the situation after the phased reopening of schools and colleges.
Colleges and universities reopen today
The authorities have also called for colleges and universities to reopen after 20 months of closure due to covid. City-based colleges and universities are taking measures to create awareness about the protocols and SOPs.
Jadavpur University has asked the professors and department heads to suggest the best possible ways to reopen their respective departments. They have also put up posters asking the students to follow the protocols and their importance.
Sampurna Samanta is a third-year philosophy honours student of Asutosh College. “The college has specified days for students according to their year and streams for avoiding over-crowding. I have to go for just two days. Online classes would be conducted for the remaining days,” she said.
Similarly, Scottish Church College has also issued a notice stating the guidelines for the students. They will be seated at the marked benches to maintain social distancing.