The School Education Department of Nagaland is willing to open schools for classes 9 and 10 to facilitate offline teaching but the final decision will be made by the High Powered Committee (HPC) on COVID-19 headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, an official said on Thursday. Educational institutions of the state were shut since April 29 due to a spurt in coronavirus cases and online classes were being taken. However, physical classes for higher secondary and college students resumed from July 26. “The education department is of the view that classes 9 and 10 can be taken offline, but the decision to open schools has to be taken by the High Powered Committee,” Principal Director of School Education, Shanavas C, said.

If the HPC seeks the opinion of the department, it would suggest the phase-wise opening of schools starting with classes 9 and 10 as the daily Covid positivity rate is now low, he said while interacting with the media on the sidelines of a programme. Nagaland’s COVID-19 positivity rate was 3.81 per cent on Wednesday.

“We are also tracking the situation in other states where schools have been opened and the situation of (offline teaching in) classes 11 and 12 in Nagaland”, Shanavas said. To a question whether or not the syllabi of the current academic session will be decreased, the official said the Nagaland Board of School Education will soon make a decision on it. After a lockdown for one and a half months, Nagaland entered into an unlock period from July 1.

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