The Telangana government on Tuesday announced that schools in the state will reopen for Classes 6 to 8 from February 24, PTI reported. Following directions from Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao, the state’s Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar directed district-level education monitoring committees to ensure Covid-19 safety measures and protocols during reopening of schools.

Kumar ordered that the schools should start their classes as far as possible from Wednesday and directed district officials that it should be done no later than March 1, according to PTI.

The students attending classes will need to wear masks, carry hand sanitisers and take permission from their parents, without which they will not be allowed to enter the school, The Indian Express reported.

About 17.24 lakh students, in addition to the students of Classes nine onwards, who are already attending, would resume classes, PTI reported. Schools in the state for Classes 9 onwards were earlier reopened on February 1, according to The Indian Express. They were allowed to function from 9.30 am to 4.45 pm in the districts while and from 8.45 am to 4 pm in Hyderabad and Secunderabad.