PANAJI: The doors of schools and colleges finally opened on Monday as restrictions in the state eased following a drop in infections.
However, confusion prevailed on Sunday and Monday among school and college staffers as the North and South Goa collectors issued orders on Sunday extending the curfew to June 14 while also stating that schools and colleges will remain shut.
School and college teachers and other staffers saw this as being in contradiction of the orders issued on June 4 by the state directorates of education and higher education.
The two directorates stated that teaching as well as non-teaching staff should join duty from June 7, but classes for students should continue in the online mode only.
“The following activities/establishment/facilities/events shall remain closed: Schools, colleges, educational and coaching institutions, except for examinations of college students,” said the collectors’ orders.
This led to officials of the directorate of higher education sending out a message to college principals clarifying that colleges have to open for teachers and other staffers from June 7.
“As there were a number of queries about whether staff, both teaching and non-teaching, would resume their duties (as per the government circular) in view of the curfew continued by government till June 14, the directorate of higher education has clarified that the curfew does not apply to staff of schools and colleges.
Circular of the government with respect to reopening of colleges stands and is to be implemented,” the message from the directorate read.
An official from the collectorate said that “it is understood that the schools and colleges are shut for students only” and staffers can be directed to join work by the parent department.
Teachers, however, were seen criticising the contradiction in orders in online forums, asking whether the collectors had issued the same orders as earlier without the necessary modifications.
Others questioned how the two directorates of education and higher education had issued the orders asking teachers to resume work before the extension in lockdown could be announced by the chief minister.
“When curfew is extended and the notification is issued by the state government clearly states schools and colleges will remain closed, so under which law teachers should join their duties?” a teacher said.
Officials, however, said that just as other government employees across the state had resumed full-fledged duties, school and college staffers are also eligible to be summoned to join work.