The Punjab government on Saturday allowed the opening of higher education institutions for Ph.D scholars and postgraduate students of technical and professional programmes requiring laboratories and experimental works from September 21.
However, schools, colleges, and coaching centres will remain closed amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
"Cinema halls, swimming pools, entertainment parks, theatres, and similar places would, however, continue to remain closed," the official release stated.
Moreover, online distance learning shall continue to be permitted.
Special Chief Secretary (Home) Satish Chandra said that 50 percent of the teaching and non-teaching staff would be allowed to attend schools at a time for online teaching/tele counselling and related work in areas outside the containment zones, only as per Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued on September 8
The Union Health Ministry has already released SOP for opening of schools from September 21. Some states have decided to resume schools from September 21 as suggested by the Centre government's Unlock 4.0 guidelines. The states that have already issued notification for school reopening according to unlock 4.0 guidelines from September 21 include Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.
India is in the unlocking process and is currently in the Unlock 4.0. In the process, the Union Home Ministry has already issued Unlock 4.0 guidelines and unlocking of public transport including trains, Metro rail, buses have begun. The Unlock 4.0 guidelines also suggest school college reopening cautiously. Due to Coronavirus, school and colleges have been closed in the country since the last week of March, due to which there has been a lot of loss of students' education and now everyone is waiting for schools to open.
(With ANI inputs)
