Summary
Offline classes to be held for students of Classes VIII to XII
Colleges, universities and polytechnics also to reopen campus
Educational institutions in West Bengal will reopen from February 3. Students of Classes VIII to XII will return to school and classes will be held in neighbourhoods under the Paray Shikshalay programme for Classes V to VII, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has announced.
Colleges, universities, polytechnics and industrial training institutes in the state will also reopen, Banerjee said at a press conference at Nabanna, the state secretariat. Hostels may also reopen as considered necessary by the institution authorities.
"Offline classes at UG/PG and higher level, including PhD and research work in all general degree colleges/ engineering/ professional/ training colleges and universities will reopen on and from 3rd February 2022," read a circular issued by the West Bengal higher education department to vice-chancellors and principals of higher education institutions.
The West Bengal governement is yet to take a decision on reopening of primary schools. “We will decide on reopening primary schools later," the chief minister said.
Banerjee said the COVID-19 situation in the state had improved and hence the state government had decided to ease some curbs.
All institutions have been asked to take necessary steps for cleaning and sanitising the premises and strictly maintain all COVID-safety protocol.
Offline classes have been conducted in brief spells for Classes IX to XII but this is the first time since the pandemic broke out and schools were in March 2020 that students of Class VIII will be returning to the classroom.
Physical lessons were first resumed for senior school students for a brief period in February 2020 but shut again in April 2020 amid the second wave of COVID-19. Students of Classes IX to XII, colleges and universities returned to campus after a 20-month break in November 2020.
Students will be returning to the campus after a month-long break this time. On January 3, 2022, the West Bengal government once again announced the closure of all schools because of the Omicron-led third wave of the pandemic. The West Bengal education department has now appealed to the state secretariat to consider reopening of schools once again. Teachers, parents and students have been calling for resumption of offline classes.
West Bengal education minister Bratya Basu had said ahead of the November 2021 reopening that offline school would resume for all classes in phases.
Last updated on 03 Feb 2022
