Health Ministry warns against reopening of educational institutions

KATHMANDU, September 16: The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has directed concerned authorities not to take the decision of allowing educational institutions to reopen in haste. 

Local levels that take a decision in this regard should coordinate with health institutions before allowing educational institutions to resume, the Ministry concluded at a meeting with the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and stakeholders in education. 

“Educational institutions may reopen on the recommendations of the district CCMC after assessing the rate of infection at the local levels and by following the School Operation Framework-2077 issued by the Ministry of Education,” said the health ministry's spokesperson Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel. 

“School teachers, staff and students should get orientation on the virus. Arrangements for health tests and medical treatment for students should be made beforehand,” he added. 

Educational institutions across the country that have been closed for long due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic have decided to resume physical classes from September 17 following a government decision. 

“The COVID-19 risks have not decreased despite decreasing infection cases,” said Dr Poudel. "The situation is not the same with all local levels and there is not a situation that all schools can reopen at the same time. So schools should resume only after studying the situation," he said. 

The meeting was attended also by Minister of State for Health Umesh Shrestha, CCMC Chief Balananda Sharma, secretary at the Ministry of Education Ram Prasad Thapaliya and representatives of the Private and Boarding Schools' Organisation, Nepal (PABSON), the National Private and Boarding Schools' Association, Nepal (NPABSON) and the Parents' Association Nepal.