Kavrepalanchok reopens public schools in defiance of govt's direction

Many local levels in the Kavrepalanchok district have reopened schools physically amid COVID-19 risks in defiance of the central government's direction for all educational institutions to hold online classes until further notice.

Many public schools in Mandandeupur Municipality have resumed classes physically for one week following the municipality's decision to this effect. "We have resumed classes alternatively for the academic session, 2078 by following the health protocols," said the municipal education section chief Lokendra Bista.

According to the schedule to operate classes alternatively, classes of grades three are run on Sunday and grades four and five on Monday, and so on.

Uma Co-educational Higher Secondary School in the municipality has also reopened classes physically since last Sunday. "Students were attending classes alternatively by following the health protocols," said the school management committee chair Ram Bahadur Lama.

There are 28 basic schools, 12 secondaries, a campus, and 42 early childhood development centers in the municipality.

Similarly, Temal Rural Municipality has also directed its community educational centers to resume classes physically.

The rural municipality administrative chief Laxman Kuinkel in a statement on Friday issued a four-point directive in this regard.

Teaching and learning activities physically should be carried out or classes should be held on alternative days by following the health protocols, according to the directive. Teachers should be mandatorily vaccinated against the infection.

There are 41 community schools in the Rural Municipality.

However, the District COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (DCCMC) has expressed its concerns about the decision of the local levels to resume classes physically.

"It is not a good practice for local levels to take a decision on their own on such sensitive issue. The situation may come wherein they should take responsibility if the situation gets worse as a result," said Chief District Officer and the DCCMC coordinator, Shiva Ram Pokharel, adding that on the matter, discussions with the stakeholders would be held.

There are a total of 690 educational institutions including 587 community schools in the district.

The number of coronavirus cases is increasing lately in the district, according to available data. The district recorded approximately 300 COVID-19 cases a day until three weeks ago. However, the number has almost doubled, it has been said. On Friday alone, one COVID-19 death occurred in the district and two on Saturday.

So far, the death toll from the deadly virus has hit 176. The total caseload has reached 12,214 with 608 active infection cases. Of the total infection cases, 11,431 have got over the virus.