For schools students of Class VIII and above in Odisha, schools have reopened partially today, February 7, though the focus continues to be on hybrid learning. Other educational institutions across the state have reopened too. This is happening after a gap of one month.
Following a spike of COVID-19 cases, educational institutions were closed from January 7 onwards and as announced by the Government of Odisha, schools, colleges, ITIs, polytechnics, professional colleges and universities have reopened from today. It is from February 14 that classes will resume in the physical mode for students of Classes I to VII as well.
"In the last two years, we have realised that any single mode of learning is not suitable for the students as many do not have access to online education, while some also do not want to visit campus during the time of the pandemic," said an official from the Department of School and Mass Education. He also shared that as per the instructions issued to the educational institutions, they will need to focus on online as well as offline mode though schools have reopened, meanwhile, the school authorities are coming up with a teaching action plan which will be based on the mode of access students choose for learning.
It was from Sunday, February 6, that hostels in both colleges and universities have also reopened to accommodate students while the Department of Higher Education has asked vice-chancellors and college principals to bring back 100 per cent staff to the campus. All educational institutions have also been asked to adhere to the same COVID-19 protocols that were in place before the schools closed down.
Also, those students studying in Class X and XII (Plus II final year) urged the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) and the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) to give them clarity on examination dates as soon as possible. A few students have already been protesting in Bhubaneswar, demanding that the exams be cancelled or that it should be conducted in April so that they have enough time to prepare for them. It has already been indicated by the state government that the Class X Board and Plus II final year exams will be conducted in an offline mode.
