Gujarat schools shut for classes 1-9 as Covid cases rise

Schools in Gujarat will be closed for classes 1 to 9 students from Monday till further orders amid a rise in COVID-19 cases, officials said. However, as per the decision taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Saturday, classroom teaching for standards 10 and 12 as well as colleges would continue, they added.

“All offline classes of standard 1 to 9 in government and private schools will be closed down for an indefinite period from Monday. Online education will be encouraged. The decision was taken keeping in mind safety of students when COVID-19 cases have surged in the state,” a release from the CM’s office said.

Schools and colleges in the state, which were closed since March last year after a lockdown was imposed to tackle the outbreak, were reopened in phased manner from January this year.

School for classes X to XII as well as lectures for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in colleges resumed on January 11, which was followed by resumption of classes IX and XI from February 8.

Gujarat, on Friday, reported 2640 cases, the highest single-day addition, as well as 11 deaths.