After almost 11 months and amid the Covid-19 pandemic, schools and colleges in Manipur reopened on Wednesday for Classes 9 and above standards. All educational institutions across the state remained closed since the second week of March, 2020 to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state.
It can be mentioned here that a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister N Biren Singh a few days ago had taken the decision to re-open schools from classes 9 and above from January 27. The decision to reopen schools and colleges was taken with a view to supplement the deficit classes due to the Covid-19 pandemic with strict COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). Following that decision, almost all schools and colleges were opened on the first day on Wednesday and resumed classes while strictly following the SOPs issued by the state Education department.
Also read: Classes IX and above to resume from Jan 27 in Manipur
SOPs and other guidelines to be followed by the students and teachers inside the classrooms were displayed at the notice boards of each institute.
At schools, authorities were seen arranging hand sanitizers and soaps at the entrance gates for sanitising the students while entering the school campuses. Wearing face masks by the students and teachers was made compulsory in each institute.
Most of the schools in Imphal area conducted the normal classes with full teacher attendance. However, students’ attendance was low. Social distancing was maintained by the students inside the class rooms.
To maintain the social distance, each class was divided into many sections, the authority of a school in Imphal said.
Normal classes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd semesters were also resumed in the colleges too from Wednesday.
Mention may be made here that even as schools and colleges were closed, almost all the schools and colleges conducted online classes. For the colleges, the final semester’s exams had already been conducted.
NNN