The Tripura government has decided to reopen schools for students of classes 6 to 12, along with other higher educational institutions, from Wednesday, officials said.

The government has issued two separate notifications with detailed guidelines regarding resumption of physical classes in both schools and other academic institutions.

“In view of the decline in COVID test positivity rate in Tripura and considering the learning losses that has already occurred, the Department of Education (school), with the approval of State Disaster Management Authority, has decided to start physical classes for students of classes VI to XII from August 25,” said a notification issued on Monday by Director of School Education Chandni Chandran.

According to the government notification, all schools will have to function in single or double shifts, depending on the space available in the classrooms. Authorities have been asked to ensure that alternate seats in schools stay unoccupied. Students and teachers have been asked to strictly adhere to COVID-19 norms.

“As teachers of classes 5 and below do not have regular classes to take, they would be engaged in the Catch Up campaign of Nutun Disha programme (an initiative of the state government aimed at making all students efficient and capable),” the notification said.

A separate notification issued by Higher Education Director NC Sharma said colleges, institutes and varsities (general, technical and professional) would also be re-opened from Wednesday.

Faculties have been instructed to arrange for extra classes, if necessary. If adequate space is not available or there is a shortage of teachers, institutes have been told to set up different time slots for batches, or any other measure they find appropriate. College hostels would, however, reopen only on September 1, maintaining all guidelines issued by the state government, the notification added.