Odisha schools reopen for Classes 1-7 amid declining COVID-19 cases

Earlier, it was decided that the schools would reopen from February 14, 2022. However, various district collectors sought additional time for undertaking cleaning, bush cutting and minor repairs.

Odisha School Reopening: The government of Odisha has allowed the reopening of schools for classes 1 to 7 from today, i.e. February 28, 2022. The decision has been taken after nearly two years with a week-long rapport-building exercise. Earlier, it was decided that the schools would reopen from February 14, 2022. However, various district collectors sought additional time for undertaking cleaning, bush cutting and minor repairs. The decision was also delayed due to rural elections due to which many schools would be used as polling stations. Most of the polling personnel consisted of teaching and non-teaching staff of the School and Mass Education (SME) Department.

Meanwhile, to ensure proper cleaning and sanitization, teachers had to come to school from February 14. The state announced the closure of schools in March 2020 after the coronavirus pandemic struck. Physical classes for higher classes and other educational institutions had begun earlier.

Talking about the reopening of schools SME Principal Secretary Bishnupada Sethi said that parents-teachers meeting was conducted in schools with the hope for observing positive participation from students on the resumption of offline classes. Guidelines have been released by the government amid the reopening of schools including a week-long rapport-building exercise. Sethi said the exercise was aimed at creating a stress-free and fun-filled learning environment for school children.

The children's emotional well-being needs to be taken care of by creating a happy learning environment in schools, the official said.

teachers have been directed to prepare a fixed timetable on rapport-building exercises, which will include open discussions for sharing good memories during the pandemic, hobbies, how children felt and what were their activities during the school closure period, according to the guidelines.

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