Schools, colleges, universities, coaching centres and government training institutes in Rajasthan will reopen from January 18 after a gap of more than nine months. The schools will run classes for IX to XII standards, while the students of final year degree courses will attend the classes in colleges.
Announcing the decision at a review meeting on the pandemic situation here on Tuesday, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the educational institutions could start functioning in the “improved scenario”, with the recovery rate touching 96.31% and some of the districts reporting zero positive cases. “The situation is far better [now] than what it was a month ago,” he said.
Classrooms in schools and colleges will maintain the presence of 50% of the total strength of students everyday on an alternating basis. The teachers will be given training by the Health Department to take care of health protocol and prevent infection, according to the official orders.
Mr. Gehlot said the medical colleges, dental colleges, nursing colleges and paramedical colleges situated across the State would be allowed to reopen from January 11, earlier than other institutions, in view of the upcoming exercise for COVID-19 vaccination.
The Chief Minister said the State government, which was worried about the mutant strain of virus detected in Britain, would send its suggestions to the Centre for containing the spread of infection in the country.
“We are keeping a strict watch on the people travelling from Britain and other countries and will ensure their intensive screening,” he said.
