Lagatar24 Desk
Patna, Jan 31: Amid the improving situation of new Covid-19 and demands from managements of private schools may lead to schools of state to reopen on February 7. Several other states including Maharashtra and Jharkhand have already announced reopening schools soon. As a result of this, the Bihar government is under pressure.
According to sources, the state may take a decision regarding opening schools on February 5. Notably, employees along with management of several private schools have threatened the government with agitation over the pending decision about reopening schools.
With 90 percent patients of Covid recovering within 7 days in home isolation, an increased pace of vaccination among children, the positivity rate has come down to 0.85 percent in the state now. On Sunday, 1.50 lakh people were tested for Covid in the state, of which only 1,238 people were found positive. The number of active cases in the state is now 6,557. Bihar is also number 22 in the country in terms of new infections.
A total of 40,07,650 children in the age group of 15 to 18 years have been vaccinated in the state. So far, a total of 11,21,59,042 people have been vaccinated in the state, out of which 6,43,66,211 people have taken the first dose and 4,73,07,745 have taken the second dose. Precautionary doses have been given to 4,85,086 people.
Half a dozen states of the country, including Maharashtra and Karnataka, had more cases as compared to Bihar. Despite a higher number of active cases several of these states including Maharashtra and Jharkhand have announced plans for reopening schools. In such a situation, this time in the meeting of the Disaster Management team, there is a possibility of a decision being made about schools on February 5.
Meanwhile, the Private School and Children Welfare Association has warned of a state-wide agitation from February 7. On the call of the National President of the Association, Syed Shamail Ahmed, major preparations for the agitation have begun in all the districts. The association says that if the government does not take any decision by February 6, then the operators of more than 25 thousand private schools in the state and lakhs of teachers and employees working there along with the guardians are set for agitation on roads all over.
Ahmed further added, ‘The government is not serious about the schools. Under the pretext of Coronavirus, the government is busy imposing burdens of debt on private schools. Even after the second wave of Covid, schools were opened only after warnings of agitation.’
On the other hand, Bihar Board is conducting its Inter and Matric exams relatively soon after the third wave of the pandemic. From February 1, 13,45,939 candidates will take the examination at 1471 examination centers in the state. This includes 6,48,518 girl students and 6,97,421 boys. This step, in turn, has unintentionally increased pressure on the state to reopen schools.
