State in favour of opening schools: Bengal Education Minister

West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu said that the state is in favour of opening schools but it cannot take any kind of risk with the lives of the students, therefore decision will be taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the right time.

Kolkata: West Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu said that the state is in favour of opening schools but it cannot take any kind of risk with the lives of the students, therefore decision will be taken by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the right time.

"The state is in favour of opening schools but not at the risk of the lives of the students. The decision will be taken by the chief minister," Basu said while inaugurating the new project - 'Neighbourhood Classes' - a project to conduct classes in the neighbourhood on Monday.

The state education minister also hinted that the state government is not in favour of opening all the schools at the same time. The government is mulling to open up schools in a staggering manner.

"We want to minimise the spread of the virus among the students and we will take every possible step to ensure their safety and security. We are considering the opening of the schools in steps so that we can keep a check on the spread of the disease," he said.

Basu was inaugurating the 'Neighbourhood Classes' for the students. The project is devised and designed by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is an effort to provide classes to the students in their own neighbourhood.

The education minister said that the classes will be held in open air particularly in the fields and in playgrounds where local government and aided school primary teachers will take the classes to strengthen the mental stability of the students.

The neighbourhood classes will be held mainly with the pre-primary and primary school students so that they can get accustomed with a kind of class-like ambience.

"As the schools were closed for more than two years and this will be an effort to sensitise the students so that they can accept the classes when the schools are opened," the school education minister said.

He also asked the municipalities, panchayats, ward committees and education committees to come forward and help the teachers so that this unique government scheme can become successful.

Speaking on the issue of opening schools, the education minister said: "The schools will be opened shortly and the chief minister will take the final call".

IANS