Several government-aided schools will not be able to reopen from November 16 as they are within containment zones, set up recently after Covid-19 cases started rising in Bengal again, officials said.
On Saturday, the chief secretary had asked districts to set up containment zones once again as Covid-19 cases were rising after the pujas.
“Since then, some districts like North 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Jalpaiguri have set up more than 150 containment zones. Almost all other districts will come up with freshly drawn up containment zones within the next two days,” said a senior official.
Officials said as all other activities, except emergency services, remain suspended in the containment zones, reopening of schools falling in these zones would not be possible from November 16.
District officials and teachers said they can’t start sanitisation activities in the schools located in the containment zones as such activities and entry are restricted according to the guidelines of the state government.
“It is not possible to allow any school to open for any type of work inside a containment zone. Even all types of government offices are also kept closed in the containment areas. So, the school authorities need to wait till the number of Covid cases come down and the containment zone tags are lifted,” said a senior health official in Calcutta.
Every containment zone is in force for at least 14 days from the day of announcement and the period can be extended if Covid cases do not come under control.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced in Siliguri on Monday that schools would be opened for Classes IX to XII, along with colleges and universities, from November 16 by adhering to proper Covid protocol.
Apart from containment zones, district authorities have also introduced micro-containment zones in a few pockets.
The containment zones are the highest in number in three Bengal districts adjoining Calcutta — Howrah, Hooghly and North 24-Parganas. As of now, there are 72 containment zones in Hooghly district, whereas the corresponding figure for Howrah and North 24-Parganas is 45 and 56, respectively.
In Hooghly, at least six schools and a college have come under containment zones.
Hooghly district magistrate Deepap Priya P, however, said: “We review the containment zones every week. So, it is not a long-run issue. Once the situation in those containment zones turns normal, the schools will be reopened.”
However, a section of teachers said as the Covid cases in the state have started to increase after the festival, containment zones could be changed that could bring more schools within the containment zones in future.
“My school is not in the containment zone now, but one cannot guarantee that the area will not become one with a steady spike in the number of Covid cases in the state. This can happen even after we have sanitised the buildings to reopen. Then we will have to sanitise the school again,” said a teacher in Hooghly.
Officials in other districts also expressed concern over the growing number of Covid-positive cases.
Apart from the increasing Covid cases, the chief minister’s announcement to reopen schools from November 16 has left several teachers worried as a large number of institutions need immediate repair.
“We always demanded that schools should open. It is true Covid cases are on the rise and the other trouble is several schools are yet to receive funds from the government to carry out repair,” said Chandan Maiti, general secretary of the Advanced Society for Headmasters and Headmistresses.
