The Sikkim government on Thursday extended the closure of all schools and colleges till July 31 to prevent the possibility of students getting struck by Covid-19 even though the rate of infection in the second wave has been on a gradual decline of late.

All educational institutions in the state have been shut since April-end and the closure was to have ended on June 25.

A notification issued by the state education department said tutorials, coaching institutes and hostels, too, could continue to remain closed during the period. “Online teaching being conducted presently through various platforms shall continue with a weekly report by the teaching faculty (to be submitted) to their HoIs (heads of institutions),” said the circular.

The department also instructed all heads of institutions to explore the possibility of conducting semester tests, examinations or any other form of assessment through online or any other mode at their convenience, but by strictly following the Covid protocol.

The state recorded 92 Covid cases in 24 hours ending Thursday morning, which is lower than the number of infections recorded during the peak of the second wave in May and early June. At 14.1 per cent, the positivity rate, however, continues to remain on the higher side. The recovery rate stands at 85.6 per cent, which is much lower than the national rate of 96.61 per cent.

The state health department carried out on-site vaccination of 36 students of the government-run Special School for Children with Disabilities at Syari here on Thursday.

It was part of the initiative to inoculate the old and the infirm on their doorstep.

M. K. Sharma, the state’s health minister, said the drive was aimed at vaccinating all those, especially the differently-abled and old, who find it difficult to go to dedicated vaccination centres. “This is a start, and we will carry out many such drives in different parts of the state,” he said.