Detailed plan for reopening schools in Kerala will be prepared

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 19: A detailed action plan for reopening of schools in Kerala will be chalked out after holding discussions with concerned departments, state Education Minister V Sivankutty said on Sunday.

Sivankutty said deliberations with various departments are ongoing to ensure safety of the children attending the schools.

"A detailed plan ensuring the safety of the children will be drawn up after holding discussions at the state and district level with health officials and the district collectors and submitted before the Chief Minister by October 15," Sivankutty told the media here.

The Minister said the plan would involve ensuring masks, sanitiser for students and measures to maintain social distancing and the guidelines for the vehicles which transport students to schools.

After remaining shut since March last year, the Kerala government on Saturday decided to reopen schools in the state from November 1.

A decision in this regard was taken at the COVID-19 evaluation meeting that was chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday.

"The chief minister has directed the authorities to complete the necessary requirements to reopen the schools at least 15 days in advance. The classes for standards 1 to 7 (primary section) and 10 and 12 will begin from November 1. From November 15 all other classes will resume," a release issued by the Chief Minister''s office had said.