By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Apr 17: Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has asked schools across the country to coordinate with concerned District COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (DCCMC) whether to close or continue classes in physical presence.
Issuing a statement on Friday, the ministry stated that the DCCMC headed by the Chief District Officer is responsible to decide to close or continue schools.
Earlier in the morning, a meeting had held at the ministry in the coordination of Education Minister Krishna Gopal Shrestha.
Now the DCCMC will decide whether to close the schools of the 14 districts, which are identified by the Ministry of Health and Population as highly risky for COVID-19 infections.
Likewise, the MoEST has also requested schools to conduct classes in different shifts if they have larger number of students. It has also requested to adopt alternative teaching learning methods.
The ministry has instructed not to organise any crowded event like meeting, ceremony and annual celebration in the educational institutions.
The three-point press statement issued by MoEST spokesperson Deepak Sharma reads that the Ministry of Health and Population has placed 14 different districts as risky places for virus.
“Therefore, in case of closing or partially operating schools, the School Operation Framework 2077 must be followed,” Sharma said.
The ministry has urged one and all not to create unnecessary fear in educational institutions and requested to follow the decision until further instruction from the government.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu Metropolitan City has requested all schools of its territory to close at least for one week if their teachers and students are found infected with the virus. The KMC asked the schools to adopt alternative methods of learning to remain safe from the infection.