Weeks after reopening schools for classes 10 and 12, the Gujarat government on Wednesday announced that students of classes 9 and 11 will also be permitted to attend school from February 1.

State education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama announced the decision after a cabinet meeting in Gandhinagar.

Besides, the state government has also decided to allow coaching classes to reopen for students of classes 9 through 12 from February 1, the minister said.

After remaining shut for over nine months due to the coronavirus outbreak, schools for classes 10 and 12 and colleges for final-year and post-graduation students reopened in the state on January 11.

“The number of students coming to schools has increased gradually. The academic work for Classes 10 and 12 is going on in a satisfactory manner and COVID-19 guidelines are also being followed. Which is why, the government has now decided to allow students of Classes 9 and 11 to attend school from February 1,” Chudasama said.

Guidelines and SOPs issued by the government earlier with respect to COVID-19 will also apply for Classes 9 and 11, the minister said.

“Moreover, coaching classes for students of Class 9 to 12 can also start their work from their premises from February 1. However, these centres are also required to take necessary steps and follow all COVID-19 SOPs,” he added.

As infections are on the decline in the state, a decision to permit first and second-year students to attend college will be taken soon, after conducting an assessment of hostels, some of which were used as COVID-19 care centres for asymptomatic patients, Chudasama said.

As many as 380 new coronavirus cases were reported in the state on Tuesday that took the tally of infections to 2,59,867.

At the peak of the pandemic in November last year, around 1,500 to 1,600 cases were reported everyday.

Source: PTI

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