Most private schools of Ranchi have decided not to resume in-person classes from the new academic session owing to the alarming rise in Covid-19 cases and continue online teaching until the pandemic eases, authorities from leading private schools said on Sunday.

Even though the government allowed resumption of on- campus classes for students in class 8 and above last month itself, many private schools decided to resume in-person classes from the new academic session in April. The government allowed regular classes from March 1, but the number of Covid cases in the state, especially in Ranchi, grew at a significantly high pace since mid-March.

“The decision of resuming regular offline classes in April was taken because Covid cases had reduced in the city. But we cannot take the risk of running in-person classes at this stage, when the city is reporting an alarming spike in cases every day,” said principal of Jawahar Vidya Mandir (JVM), Shaymli, Samarjeet Jana.

Owing to the rise in Covid cases, the active caseload in Ranchi has shot up from only 198 in February last week to over 2,600 on Sunday. As per figures compiled by the National Health Mission (NHM), Ranchi alone accounts for more than 50 per cent of the 4,613 active Covid-19 cases in the state.

In the wake of the rise in cases, the health department recently directed all schools and colleges to test students and teachers for Covid-19 as a precautionary measure. Two schools in Jamshedpur had to be sealed after students and teachers tested positive for Covid-19. Later, at least 25 girls of Indira Gandhi Balika Vidyalas in Ranchi’s Bundu block were found infected.

Delhi Public School, another leading private school in Ranchi, has also decided to continue with online classes. Both DPS and JVM Shaymli are located close to MECON colony, where several houses have been sealed after at least 60 people were found infected in the locality.

While many schools have already decided to continue with online classes, some of the city schools will soon hold meetings with parents and decide whether they should resume offline classes or not.

DAV Kapil Deo School will hold an online meeting with parents and take a decision on the mode of teaching in the new session. Oxford Public School and Surendranath Centenary School will also hold meetings with parents soon.