Assam plans to reopen primary schools from January 1 as Covid-19 scenario 'under control'

However, there will be no attendance for students

With the Covid-19 scenario presently "under control'', the Assam government is planning to reopen elementary schools, from kindergarten to Class VI, from January 1.

The state had earlier reopened classes beyond Class VI but elementary schools were kept closed keeping in mind children's vulnerability against Covid-19.

Assam Health and Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday told reporters in Guwahati that hostels in boarding schools, colleges, and those for final-year students in higher educational institutions would also be re-opened from December 15 keeping in mind the decrease in the number of Covid-19 cases.

"The number of Covid-19 positive cases have continuously gone down in the month of November -- from 325 cases on an average daily in the first week of the month to 158 cases daily in the last week. Keeping this in mind, we assume that the situation is under control as of today. So we have decided to reopen the elementary schools but it will depend on the parents, whether they want to send their children to school or not. However, there will be no attendance," Sarma said.

Assam recorded a total of 2,12, 617 Covid-19 positive cases till Sunday with 981 deaths. The number of active cases stood at 3,350 with a recovery rate of 98%.

Sarma said the state was conducting 20,000 to 30,000 tests on an average daily.

Sarma said the students will be allowed to attend the classes only after getting the consent of the parents and a detailed SOP will soon be issued by the elementary education department.

The health department has also closed the Covid care centres outside hospitals given the continuous decrease in the number of positive cases.