Lucknow, 28th January: Association of Private Schools, Uttar Pradesh has urged the Chief Secretary vide a letter to reopen schools in the state, which have been closed for the past one month, in the interest of children. This information was given by the President of the Association, Shri Atul Kumar. Shri Atul said that in public places like vegetable markets, malls, buses, railways, parks etc, Covid-19 safety norms are being openly violated, as is evident from the photographs published in reputed dailies, but they are still open. However, all schools, where all COVID safety rules are being strictly followed, have been ordered to be closed. Shri Atul Kumar said that earlier, when the schools had been opened, not only the studies of children was continuing at a normal pace, but there was also not a single case of corona infection reported in children from all over the state.

Shri Atul Kumar further quoted the views of global director for education at the World Bank, Jaime Saavedra who had said that there is no science behind closing schools due to the pandemic. Saavedra had also said that his team is keeping an eye on the impact of COVID-19 on the education sector, and there is no evidence that the COVID cases have increased in children when they have started going to schools. The corona infection has nothing to do with opening or closing of schools. Today, when the restaurants, bars, shopping malls, vegetable marks, shops etc are open, there is no point in keeping the schools closed. Therefore, the administration must order the opening of schools and do justice to the children.