Nagaland schools to partially reopen from September 21

The Nagaland government on Friday decided to partially reopen schools from September 21 for students of Class 9 to 12, on a "voluntary basis", to seek academic guidance.

In an order Chief Secretary Temjen Toy said that up to 50 per cent of teaching and non-teaching staff, residing outside containment zones, may be permitted to be called to the schools at a time for online teaching, tele-counselling and related work.

"Students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers subject to written consent of their parents or guardians, subject to strict adherence to all the provisions in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)," the order said.

The MHAs Unlock 4 guidelines allow students of classes 9 to 12 to visit schools on a "voluntary basis" from September 21 for academic help. Schools across the country have been closed since March due to COVID-19 pandemic. Classes are conducted online, and links to online study material are sent via WhatsApp, emails and SMS.

The partial reopening will also be allowed for skill or entrepreneurship training institutions, it said. The chief secretary said, skill or entrepreneurship training will be permitted in National Skill Training Institutes, Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), short term training centres registered with National Skill Development Corporation or State Skill Development Missions, subject to strict adherence to SOP.