'Order' claiming schools to stay closed until November 30 is FAKE, confirms PIB

According to the guidelines issued by MHA earlier, the states and the union territories will prepare their own SOPs regarding the health and safety of all the students and teachers.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus severely affected the education system all across the country. All the academic institutions were ordered to be closed following the nationwide lockdown in the country in order to contain the virus. However, now, various states are mulling to reopen the schools and colleges following several guidelines against the COVID-19 spread. While the centre allowed the states and union territories to decide on the dates to reopen schools and educational institutions across the country, an order saying all schools and colleges will continue to remain closed until November 30 has been doing rounds on social media platforms.

The alleged order that is being circulated on social media reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 10(2)(1) of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, the undersigned hereby directs the guidelines for reopening issued by Ministry of Home Affairs’ orders of even number dated 30.09.2020 will remain in force till 30.11.2020.” 

However, rejecting the claim, Press Information Bureau (PIB) took to Twitter and informed that the government has not made any such announcement and the news is fake. PIB through its official Twitter handle confirmed that the said order is fake. In its latest Tweet, PIB said: “A headline of an order claims that, all schools to remain closed till 30th November PIB Fact Check: This Headline is MISLEADING. The decision on opening of educational institutions is left to States/UTs as per MHA's September order, which is valid till November, 2020." Check the tweet below:

The decision to open schools and colleges is now left on the state and Union Territories to decide. According to the guidelines issued by MHA earlier, the states and the union territories will prepare their own SOPs regarding the health and safety of all the students and teachers.

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