Thiruvananthapuram: It is back to school for pupils cooped up at homes for one-and-a-half years in the wake of shutdowns necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The schools affilitated to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations will also reopen along with other public educational institutions on November 1 in Kerala.
CBSE authorities have instructed affiliated schools to decide on resuming in-person classes in accordance with the government guidelines on reopening. The guidelines are yet to be issued.
CBSE School Management Associations informed that preparations for reopening institutions have begun, and a final decision would be made after considering the rate of COVID-19 spread.
Office-bearers of CBSE and ICSE school associates said schools would be reopened under strict protocol, giving priority to the safety of students and teachers. They are awaiting the government guidelines on school reopening to draw up the protocol.
As reported the other day schools in Kerala are slated to reopen on November 1. While offline classes for grades 1-7, 10th and 12th begin on November 1, classes for students of other grades begin on November 15.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had said that it will not interfere with the decision of States on reopening schools.