The Odisha Government has announced the re-opening of schools and colleges in the state from February 7. "After reviewing the current COVID-19 situation and loss of learning faced by students, the State Government has decided to reopen schools and colleges," Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra said on February 3.
"The in-person classes for students of Classes VIII to XII, along with colleges, universities and other technical, professional education institutions will open from February 7," Mahapatra said. "However, physical classes for the students from KG to Class VII will start from February 14," he added
The state government has also allowed the institutions to open their hostels with COVID protocols issued by the government. Mohapatra further stated in the ongoing academic session that students will have the option to choose between in-person classes, online classes and hybrid mode of education. "The Board Examination of Classes X and XII will be conducted as per the guidelines of the respective Board and Council," he added.
"Hospitalisation, in this third wave due to the Omicron variant, is less in comparison to the second wave, the daily positivity rate has also come down and the situation is coming under control. We have vaccinated a large number of children in the age group of 15 to 18 years," said the Chief Secretary. "The physical classes will be conducted with strict adherence of COVID-19 protocols, all departments linked with education have been asked to issue detailed SOPs for reopening the educational institutions of their departments," he said.
The announcement came as several states in the country have begun reopening schools as COVID cases have started dipping. The Centre has not enforced on the states the mandatory parental consent for in-person school classes and has said that the decision to seek parental consent can be taken by the respective state and Union Territory governments, as per the latest guidelines regarding school reopening, released on Wednesday, February 2.