Coronavirus: All edu institutes in Bengal shut till March 31

Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Saturday shut all educational institutions from March 16 to 31 as part of precautionary measures to check the spread of the Novel Coronavirus infection.

However, all board examinations will be held as per schedule, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced here.

“It has been decided that all government, government-aided, private educational institutions – schools, colleges, universities, Madarsas, SSK (Shishu Shiksha Kendra) and MSK (Madhyamik Shiksha Kendra) will remain closed from 16 March, 2020, to 31 March, 2020, in public interest,” Banerjee said in a press release.

“The internal examinations of these institutions will also remain suspended during the said duration. However, the Board examinations will be held as per schedule,” she said.

The decision was taken “in view of the evolving situation on the spread of COVID 19, the advisories issues by WHO, UN and central government and as a matter of abundant precaution to check its spread” in the state, she said.

Six people are in isolation in hospital while 1,977 are under home surveillance among the 2,56,682 people screened in West Bengal since the global outbreak of Coronavirus. No one has tested positive for the fatal disease in the state so far, according to a health department official.

IANS