The Andhra Pradesh Minister of Education, Adimulapu Suresh, rejected rumours of an extension of the Sankranti holidays
for educational institutions in the state. On 17 January, 2022, he
expressed the AP State Government’s ongoing concern towards the health
of the students, with respect to COVID-19 protocols, while giving
priority to their educational development. Though there has been a rise
in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state recently, schools across
Andhra Pradesh have been scheduled to reopen from today. Yo! Vizag spoke
to some parents, of school going children, in Visakhapatnam, regarding
their view about reopening of schools in Vizag. One
of the parents, V Sudha, stated that she is not willing to send her
child, studying in the 11th standard, to the school, keeping the
COVID-19 situation in mind. She opines that schools must implement
online classes immediately and that the State Government must not
pressurize the schools to conduct offline classes. Addtionally the
parent of a primary school student in Vizag, P. Srihitha, appreciates
the decision, taken by her son’s school, of extending the Sankranti
vacation and conducting online classes. She suggests that all the
schools in Andhra Pradesh must follow this, regardless of the State
Government’s instructions. An
8th standard student’s parent, Dr. Nanda Kishore, suggests that kids
must not be sent to school for the next one month to keep them safe from
the prevailing COVID-19 situation. He opines sending them to schools
would result in a quicker spread of the infection as kids are
asymptomatic carriers of the virus. The parent feels that reopening of
schools in Vizag, given the situation, is not recommended. As of
16 January, 2022, the number of active COVID-19 cases in Andhra Pradesh
stands at 26,770. Over the last ten days, the positivity rate took a
leap from 1.64% to 13.89%, with a multifold increase in the COVID-19
cases. The daily surge in COVID-19 cases on 15 January, 2022 is reported
to be 4,955, the record highest in the past 205 days. Visakhapatnam
District reported 1,028 COVID-19 cases, second to Chittoor District
(1,124). The AP State Government is set to impose night curfew from 18
January, 2022. Necessary COVID-19 protocols will be imposed at various
public places such as temples, educational institutions, and government
offices. |
