Schools in Byas moot possibility of physical classes

DAMAULI, SEPTEMBER 22

Byas Municipality today held a meeting with head teachers and principals of community and private schools to find a way for reopening schools that have been shut for a long time due to COVID-19.

The municipality held a meeting to discuss the possibility of opening schools after online classes, and classes via FM radio and televisions could not be provided.

Many schools have suggested opening schools abiding by the physical distance rules and health standards.

Most of the head teachers and principals said that physical classes could be resumed by maintaining social and physical distance and adopting safety measures as TV, online classes and FM radios were not accessible to many children.

Byas Municipality Mayor Baikuntha Neupane said his municipality had started the process for operating classes.

Schools without access to the internet will run in-person classes meeting all safety requirements, said Neupane.

Municipality Education Officer Nagendra Prasad Regmi said that schools should adopt different teaching and learning methods in accordance with place, geography and situation. Head teachers and principals have been directed to take permission from the municipality before opening schools, though.

Municipality Officer Santosh Godar said schools running classes up to grade five with few students could run classes.

“But schools with a large number of students have to adopt online, TV and other alternative methods,” said Mayor Neupane.

Around 18,000 students are studying in 75 community and 40 private schools in Tanahun.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on September 23, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.