Bhubaneswar: With the improvement in Covid-19 situation in the State, the Government has decided to reopen all educational institutions in a phased manner from February 7.
Physical teaching for students of class VIII and above will resume from February 7 while the schools will reopen for KG to class VII students from February 14, announced Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra here on Thursday.
In view of the decreasing trend in Covid-19 positive cases, to mitigate the impact of learning loss of the students to the extent possible and in the larger interest of the student community of the State, the State Government has taken this decision.
All educational institutions, imparting any type of education of the level of Class – VIII and above including schools, colleges, ITIs, Polytechnics, Degree Colleges and Professional Colleges and Universities, would start physical classroom teaching with effect from February 7, Mahapatra said.
All short-term courses, training, workshops, skill development training programmes etc., will also be allowed in physical mode from February 7, 2022. Similarly, classes from LKG to Class—VII will be reopened with effect from February 14, he said.
For the current academic year, the school students can avail the option of online/ off-line/ hybrid teaching for their classes. For higher education institutions the guidelines as was prevailing just before the closure of such institutions on January 10, 2022 will apply, he informed.
Hostels and other residential facilities should also be opened up as soon as the offline class begins.
To complete the courses as decided by respective authorities / regulatory bodies concerned department(s) can notify revised academic year.
For examinations for Classes up to Standard IX and for promotion of students from Standard XI to Standard XII can be done through class assessment. Students will be allowed the option of taking the examination either through offline or online or hybrid mode depending upon the feasibility of the schools, the Chief Secretary announced.
Examinations for Standard X and Standard XII will be conducted as per the orders and guidelines of respective Boards/ Councils/ Regulatory Authorities. Examinations in higher education institutions, including technical and professional institutions, may be conducted as per approved guidelines prevailing just before closure of these institutions on January 10, 2022.
All Covid appropriate protocol(s) will be followed by the educational institutions to the extent possible.
The concerned departments have been directed to bring out detailed SOPs to be followed by the educational institutions. The Department(s) concerned will have to facilitate introduction of bridge courses wherever required to help the students overcome the learning gaps, if any.
Further, all efforts will be made by the institutions to assist/ hand hold/ counsel the children and their parents to cope with the situation.
This decision will be applicable to all educational institutions including Government, Government Aided, Privately Managed English & Odia Medium Schools coming under the administrative control of School & Mass Education Department, Higher Education Depth, and also to Educational Institutions coming under the administrative control of ST & SC Development Department, SSEPD Department and Skill Development & TE Department and Agriculture & Farmers Empowerment Department etc.
Any person found violating this order will be punished under the provision of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and other relevant laws, warned the government in an order.