Bengal schools reopen after 11 months for classes 9-12

Schools in West Bengal reopenedon Friday after a gap of 11 months for classes 9-12, withstrict adherence to the COVID-19 protocol.

The educational institutions were shut in March lastyear in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Though most educational institutions registered goodattendance, students who take local trains to reach theirschools faced problems due to railway blockades as part of the12-hour state-wide bandh called by the Left Front.

The administration has asked the school authorities toensure strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines to prevent asurge in fresh cases.

Many schools have reopened only for classes 10 and 12,while some have restarted for all four classes.

Schools that have reopened for classes 10 and 12 willhold physical classes on a rotational basis every alternateday.

''Students of classes 9-12 will study in schools fromtoday. The government has requested the school authorities tostrictly follow the COVID-19 guidelines. I greet all thestudents and teachers on the occasion. We all have to becareful,'' Education Minister Partha Chatterjee said.

Pupils also seemed elated over attending physicalclasses which they missed for almost a year.

''We were waiting for this day. Even though thesituation is not normal like pre-COVID times but we are happyto meet our friends and teachers. Besides, studies will bemore interactive,'' a class 10 student said.

However, some students said they failed to reach theirschools due to railway blockades, while parents protested at aprivate educational institution demanding online examinations.

The school authorities said they are on alert tostrictly adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines in the wake ofreports of a surge in cases in Kerala after the reopening ofeducational institutions.

Renowned Kolkata schools like Ram Mohan Mission havereopened for all four classes, while some others like DelhiPublic School, Haryana Vidya Mandir and Hindu School haverestarted for the two classes, officials said.

The state government has given the flexibility to theschools to decide on holding physical classes with strictadherence to the COVID-19 protocol.