COVID-19: Nepal reopens some schools with health safety protocols

Nepal has reopened some of its schools amid the coronavirus pandemic keeping in mind the health safety protocols. According to the reports, the children can be seen attending schools wearing face masks and maintaining social distance. The new academic session in Nepal which usually starts from May or June got delayed by months due to the pandemic. As per reports, some of the local authorities in Kathmandu have granted permission to reopen schools for the students who are following essential health protocols. 

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News agency ANI quoted Jit Bahadur Basnet, Executive Director at Vidyanath Boarding School in Kageshwori Manahara-6 of Kathmandu saying, "During the lockdown, students were deprived of their right to study. They went onto the path of wrong deeds, depletion in reading and learning habits. After the parents voiced their concerns and getting a similar notice from the Kageshwori Manohara Municipality, we have started the classes from Sunday in two shifts following all the health protocols". 

School runs in two shifts

Basnet was reported to have spoken to ANI that the school runs in two shifts from  6 am (first shift) and 11 am (second shift) to reduce the crowd and maintain social distancing properly. He added that the authorities are also keeping a curb on the temperatures of the students using thermal screening and sanitizing hands at the entrance. He further added that prior to the resumption of the session sanitization and deep cleaning inside the campus have been taken care of. 

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ANI quoted Sonia Ghalan, a Secondary Level final year student at Vidyanath Boarding School saying, "I am extremely happy as I am able to continue the studies. Previously our studies were all halted and there was confusion about whether Secondary Education Examination will be conducted or not. Now we are able to go ahead with our studies". 

Basnet further clarified that they are not conducting long classes as they are being held for only two-three hours and three days a week. Nepal government is still giving a thought over plans to reopen educational institutions while some local bodies around the nation already have given permission to begin classes. A lot of such institutions are facing a shortage of textbooks and other educational materials.

Nepal's coronavirus tally inched closer to 75,000 on Monday, September 28 with 1,351 new cases, while the number of recoveries increased to 54,640. The death toll from the pathogen increased to 481 with four more fatalities. The total novel coronavirus cases increased to 74,745 while 54,640 people have recuperated, taking the recovery rate to 73.09 per cent, the Ministry of Health and Population said.
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 (With inputs/image from ANI)