Primary and upper primary schools to reopen in West Bengal from February 16

All primary and upper primary schools in West Bengal can reopen from February 16, according to a circular issued by Nabanna, the West Bengal state secretariat.

A separate Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) will be issued in this regard by the West Bengal school education department, the circular added.

All Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) centres in West Bengal will also reopen from February 16, the circular said.

Educational institutions in West Bengal reopened on February 3 and students of Classes VIII to XII returned to school for offline classes after a month’s break. But this is the first time that primary school children will be back on campus since the pandemic broke out in March 2020.

“We will decide on reopening primary schools later," West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had said on January 31.

The West Bengal government also rolled out the Paray Shikshalay (neighbourhood classes) programme for students of Classes I to VII. Children have been attending open-air classes since February 7.