The Government of Assam has framed a set of guidelines for the reopening of educational institutions in the state. The government plans to restart physical classes from September 1 onwards - in a phased manner - depending on the COVID-19 situation.
"We have drawn up a preliminary plan for reopening schools but it is still open for further discussions with parents and other stakeholders, and will be implemented only in accordance with the directives of the union government," Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said.
Meanwhile, Gauhati University is all set to restart regular classes for final semester students as per proposed government guidelines issued by the Commissioner and Secretary of Higher Education, Assam for reopening of degree colleges from 1st of September, 2020.
As per a notice from the Gauhati University Registrar’s Office, 4th-semester students pursuing post-graduation courses and 6th-semester students in their under-graduation along with the 6th semester LLB students and 10th-semester students of BBA, LLB, BA LLB and B. Com LLB have been directed to return to the university from September 1.
G Plus conducted a poll on its social media channels and asked Guwahatians whether they feel safe to go back to physical classrooms amidst the pandemic. More than 1,700 people participated in the poll which resulted in only 26 percent of people saying that they feel safe. A whopping 74 percent of the poll participants said that they didn't find it safe to attend physical classes.
Netizens actively commented on G Plus’s Facebook and Instagram page after casting their votes in the poll conducted on August 12.
"We have seen the outbreak in Mississippi and Israel as well as in US. What if the same thing happens here too? Who will be responsible for it? No studies for one year makes no difference but if due to this situation a family needs to lose its one and only son/daughter, who will look after them? We ain't going to school in this pandemic," commented an Instagrammer Fradrick Jain, who goes by the name of x.adams in response to the poll question.
In the same vein, a Facebook user and a student of Gauhati University, Manash Debnath commented, "In USA, 95,000 students tested covid positive recently after reopening of schools and colleges. The govt should think about the matter before opening schools colleges. The cleanliness and awareness of social distancing should be maintain(ed) in institutions."
Another Instagrammer, a mother of three who goes by the name ‘momzilla’ commented, “Same policy cannot be applied against all states in this regard. Delhi and Mumbai showed high rates of infections very early. In Assam, cases have just begun. We are nowhere near being stable.”
Further elaborating on the fear and plight of the students, Piyali Mazumder commented, “Of course, I don’t feel safe. One University that can’t even handle their website efficiently, gets hacked every other day, will implement effective measures to protect its students from COVID-19? It’s not even a closed campus. While giving an exam, how am I supposed to protect myself from the virus that is neither seen nor felt?”
On the contrary, 26% of the respondents opined that it was high time that educational institutions also opened up stating that the world needs to learn to live with the novel coronavirus.
“Yes, of course, because normal has to come and will not come back until we step up,” commented one Akib Ahmed on Instagram.
Another Instagrammer highlighted the importance of physical classes stating that “We can’t stay anymore in our homes and study through online classes because it’s just a waste of time. Earlier, students in their physical classes feel hard to understand the concept and now due to these online classes very few are able to understand what they are taught. So, I request to open schools but with proper precautions.”
On 16th March, the central government declared a nation-wide lockdown of schools and colleges to control the spread of COVID-19. Educational institutes in Assam have remained shut since then.
