THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The education department is planning to open schools in the state by January if the Covid transmission is not severe. As per the plan, classes 10 and 12 might start with fifty percent of the students. The final decision will be taken at a meeting convened by the Chief Minister on Dec 17th. At the same time, the conduct of examinations in Classes X and XII will be decided in consultation with the Central Government.

Schools in the state have stayed close for six months following the pandemic. Though the central government had said that it would be up to the states to decide whether to open schools as part of the unlock, this was not implemented in Kerala as the Covid transmission had not abated. The ICSE school managements had earlier asked the government to open schools.