The state government will start virtual classes for students of classes IX to XII in state-aided Madhyamik and Higher Secondary schools from April 7, education minister Partha Chatterjee said on Friday.

The classes will be held through a programme to be telecast on DD Bangla from 4pm to 5pm. Teachers of various subjects will discuss a particular topic every day in the classes, which will continue till April 13.

Students will be allowed to ask questions through email, WhatsApp or over phone.

At the end of each class, students will be assigned activities. The homework will have to be submitted to teachers once schools reopen, Chatterjee said. “The schools are closed. But we need to make sure that academic activities continue. We will start virtual classes to make up for the lost time,” Chatterjee said.

Students between Classes I and VIII in state-aided primary and secondary schools will also be assigned activities to be done at home during the lockdown. The details of the assignments for classes I to VIII can be downloaded from https://banglarshiksha.gov.in from April 6.

Teachers have been asked to contact students through phone, email or WhatsApp and help them complete the tasks, Chatterjee said.