PATNA: All primary and middle schools (teaching children upto the class-8) across Bihar will be opened from August 16 while class-9 and 10 from August 7; as the state government on Wednesday announced more relaxations in the Covid-19 related restrictions as part of Unlock-6.
All shops and business establishments will be open till 7 pm every day, with one-day weekly closing. Cinema halls can be open till 7 pm everyday with only 50% of their viewers’ capacity. Shopping malls can be opened till 7 pm on alternate days.
The new relaxations will be effective from August 7 to 25.
CM Nitish Kumar made an announcement about the relaxations through a post on his Twitter account, soon after he chaired a meeting of the high-powered crisis management group (CMG), comprising senior members of his cabinet and the state’s top bureaucrats.
“In view of the decline in Covid-19 infection, it has been decided to open all shops with one-day weekly closing from August 7 to 25. Class-9 and 10 will be opened from August 7 and class 1 to 8 from August 16. Coaching institutions can work with 50% attendance of students (on alternate day). Public transport vehicles will be allowed to run with their full capacity of passengers. Cinema halls and shopping malls too will be opened with certain restrictions. In schools, students will be given information about the Covid-19 resilient behaviour. People should still take Covid-19 related precautions,” Nitish said in a series of tweets on Wednesday.
Soon after the CMG meeting, the state’s chief secretary Tripurari Sharan issued a fresh notification, announcing more relaxations in the lockdown-related restrictions.
As per the fresh notification, all shops and business establishments will be opened till 7 pm every day, with one-day weekly closing. Only vaccinated employees would be allowed to work in the shops and business establishments. All shops and business establishments will have to provide a list of its working employees with their status of vaccination to the local police station.
Cinema halls can be open till 7 pm everyday with only 50% of their viewers’ capacity. Shopping malls can be opened till 7 pm on alternate days.
The existing ban on holding any government / private functions/ events (except the covid-19- related govt functions) would continue till further order.
The night curfew will remain in force from 9 pm to 5 am every day.
State’s education minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary told TOI on Wednesday that all secondary and senior secondary schools in the state are already open as students of class – 11 and 12 are attending their classes since last month. “As the secondary schools are already opened, the classes of 9 and 10 would begin from August 7, the day-1 of Unlock-5,” he said.
“As far as opening of the primary and middle schools (which run classes from 1 to 8) are concerned, these schools would practically be opened from August 15 for unfurling the national flag. But classes will begin from August 16. Headmasters of all primary and middle schools are being directed to open schools on August 15, invite children for the flag-hoisting programme and distribute ‘Jalebi’ (sweets) among children,” Choudhary told TOI.
The education minister further said all classes would run with 50% attendance. The remaining 50% children would be invited on alternate days for the class on the same topic. The headmasters and officials of the education department were being asked to ensure proper cleaning and sanitation in all classrooms and entire school premises before resuming teaching works. All teachers and staff have been directed to get vaccinated before opening of the schools. Teachers and students would take all necessary precautions and follow all Covid-19 related protocols in the school and classrooms, Choudhary said.
