Schools in West Bengal to reopen from November 16: Chief Minister

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the reopening of educational institutions in the state from November 16, after a gap of nearly 20 months.

Banerjee, who is on a North Bengal tour, during an administrative meeting at Uttarkanya — the state secretariat in Jalpaiguri district of North Bengal — directed Chief Secretary H K Diwedi to make the necessary arrangements.

With this, the educational institutions that were closed due to the Corona pandemic will resume classes in the offline mode.

Though Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress chief, had earlier announced November 15 as the date, it was deferred by a day owing to Bisha Munda’s birthday. The tribal leader’s birthday on November 15 is treated as a special holiday in the state.

“On November 4, there is Kali Puja, followed by Bhatri Ditiya. After two days is Chhat puja while November 13 happens to be Jagadhatri Puja. So we can reopen the schools after these festivals from November 15,” she said during the meeting.

On October 5, the state finance department sanctioned Rs 109 crore to the education department for the renovation of 6,468 government schools, indicating the government’s resolve to restart the schools after Durga Puja.

Earlier too in August, after her meeting with the Global advisory body chief, she had said that her government was mulling reopening of schools and colleges that have been shut since March due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Chief Minister had said that educational institutes might reopen in West Bengal on alternate days after the Durga Puja vacation in November.

Asked about the details of the schedule, an education department official said, “Though it has not yet been decided and the department is still working on the details, but so far, it has been decided that classes from IX onwards will start at the initial level along with the colleges and universities.

“However, the department is likely to impose strict conditions to ensure the safety of children from the deadly virus.”

(IANS)