SATURDAY KUENSELTHAT THE PEOPLE SHALL BE INFORMED AUGUST 29" ( & ( & D k ' + COVID-19: Bhutan: 187 | Global: 24,605,229 | Recovered: 16,869,866 | Death: 834,771 | US: 6,046,060 ?dZ_W0)").*"+-+| West Bengal: 150,772 | Assam: 98,807 | Arunachal Pradesh: 3,633 | Sikkim: 1,542 MoE proposes to re-open classes IX to XII When lockdown ceases Yangchen C Rinzin The Ministry of Education has submitted a pro- posal to the Prime Minister to re-open Classes IX and XI along with Classes X and XII if the pandemic situation improves and the lockdown is lifted. Education Minister Jai Bir Rai told Kuensel that the proposal was readied before the na- tionwide lockdown came into force on August 11, as the ministry felt the need for face-face teaching. “But before the ministry could submit the proposal to the government, the nationwide lockdown was declared,” he said. Classes X and XII were re-opened before the From the recent mass surveillance: People queue up at Dhamdara for Covid-19 test Pg 15 lockdown in July. Regular classes for X and XII have been suspended following a nationwide lockdown on August 11. The minister said that the ministry is con- cerned, as the pandemic has affected students. We’re already noticing that closure of schools 21 Indian nationals among has impacted students and many students have also started losing interest in studies,” the minis- ter said. “We know that we’re not in a good situa- the 187 total Covid-19 tion, but we need to make a decision by keeping the virus at bay, as the trend is worrying.” Pg 2 cases in the country Younten Tshedup old man tested positive while in the the country of origin, anyone who is quarantine on August 22. He was a in Bhutan has to abide by and follow Focus Point f the 187 total posi- primary contact of one of the posi- the national protocols put in place. tive cases in the tive cases in Phuentsholing. “We cannot custom design different country as of last Following the announcement protocols for different people. The night, 21 of them yesterday, many questioned if the national-level testing, quarantine are Indian nationals government was trying to conceal or movement protocols applies to Oworking for Project DANTAK and the identity of the Indian nationals everyone who is in the country.” Indian Military Training Team (IM- testing positive. The positive cases She said that these cases did not TRAT). among 16 Project DANTAK employ- make a difference to the existing Health Minister Dechen Wang- ees in Phuentsholing were not new. control and preventive measures mo during a press conference yes- The information was revealed only mainly because the country was al- terday said that three new positive yesterday. ready in a nationwide lockdown that cases were detected at the IMTRAT Lyonpo said that the ministry prevented the movement of people headquarters in Haa yesterday has been sharing all possible de- from one place to another. morning. tails with respect to the pandemic. “Another advantage is that the Another two IMTRAT employ- She said that picking positive cases cases were detected in a cluster. They ees, one each in Thimphu and in the DANTAK or IMTRAT camps were not freely roaming individuals. Phuentsholing had also tested posi- made no difference to the extensive Therefore, it was much easier for us to tive recently. The one who tested preventive measures that are already do the contact tracing, testing and as- positive in Thimphu had travelled in place. sessing the risk within a short period from Phuentsholing. The 35-year- Lyonpo said that irrespective of of time.” Pg 16 HOME PAGE 2 Saturday, August 29, 2020| KUENSEL Will Bhutan ever know its source of Covid-19? Yangchen C Rinzin was connected to the mini concluded, calls the source as a tested positive, as all the positive transmission)- where positive dry port case. This had con- cluster of a specific population people were in the same unit. cases are coming from a specific As Covid-19 reaches to interior firmed the local transmission and well contained areas. Another cluster was the 16 posi- place,” Lyonpo said. “If we’re to parts of the country, the health in Phuenthsoling and the town This will let to exact primary tive cases detected from Project find out whether mini dry port ministry is unable to establish was declared a red zone. contacts and its details. DANTAK and one from IMTRAT workers got it from Project how and when the virus en- Although Bhutan’s first For instance, one cluster is a in Phuentsholing. DANTAK or vice-versa, it will tered Phuentsholing, which is local transmission (25-year- mini dry port where the loader “It’s still a cluster (mode of not be easy to prove.” today a red zone. old loader) is technically an According to Health Minis- imported case, health minister ter Dechen Wangmo like Bhu- during a press briefing yes- tan, many countries are unable terday, said that the source of MoE proposes to re-open classes IX to XII to track down patient zero or infection and local transmis- pinpoint individuals who may sion in the country cannot be have been the first person to established. start spreading Covid-19. “It’ll depend on time but Health Minister Dechen it’ll not be easy to find how did Wangmo said, “Epidemiologi- the virus spread or where did cally, it will be difficult to prove they get it from,” Lyonpo said. the source for local transmis- “We cannot pinpoint the sion in Phuentsholing.” index case and conclude they Phuentsholing today has 41 triggered the outbreak.” people who are primary con- Patient zero or the index tacts of the 25-year-old loader, case refers to the first person who was the first to test positive to be infected by the Covid-19 from the mini dry port. in an outbreak in a community However, during the ac- and spread the virus. tive community surveillance Lyonpo said that based on of the 27,134 people tested, 25 the cases in Phuentsholing, the tested positive. None of them health ministry although not Interrupted: An empty classroom in one of the schools in Tsirang (Photo: UNICEF Bhutan) From Pg 1 situation right now, we can- if the situation improves. TV Schedule More than 200 students not keep the rest of the schools However, classes for PP-VIII August 29, 2020 from Classes X and XII dropped closed because of the situation will remain closed for the 2020 out from school when the in Phuentsholing,” Lyonpo said. academic session. Lyonpo said the proposal to Meanwhile, the minister Gatshor (Short Film) 9am schools resumed in July. Lyonpo said that although it relocate schools in Phuentshol- said that all the normal teach- Lue Dha Sem 10am would depend on the decision ing would happen if the govern- ing for Classes X and XII will Gasa Lami Singye 3:30pm of the government whether to ment decides to re-open other remain suspended, as an- approve the proposal or not, schools. Although the figure of nounced earlier while other it was important to continue students and teachers was not students would continue learn- The Silk Road 3:30pm education. shared, Lyonpo said that they ing through online lessons pro- Witness History 5:3pm “Yes, we need to take could be relocated to nearby vided through Self Instructional Covid-19 seriously, but we schools that have classes from Materials and other online plat- The Travel Show 7:30pm can’t keep students out of edu- PP-VIII and are closed right forms. cation. Things may not go back now. Lyonpo said the school ad- Cauvery Calling 7pm to normal, but education must “This is just a proposal to ministrations cannot conduct go on, and by following safety help students continue educa- normal classes for boarding Discover India 7:30pm measures, we must look into tion and if approved, we can students who are on the cam- Man Vs Wild 8:10pm re-opening of schools.” work further including the help pus right now, as this would be Students in Classes IX and from the health ministry in re- unfair to students who are at XI have to learn the lessons locating them,” Lyonpo added. home. If approved, the relocation “It cannot be possible for Impact Wrestling 6:30pm well to perform in the board examinations. would also apply to two private teachers to conduct normal UNL 2020 7pm schools in Phuentsholing. classes since some of the teach- Football Extra Live 8:30pm Relocation of students There are one public high- ers are in the campus while from Red Zone er secondary school and two some are off-campus,” Lyonpo The ministry has also pro- middle secondary schools in said. “The school administra- Wonder Park 7:40am posed to relocate Classes X Phuentsholing. tion can, however, come up and XII students and teachers Schools in other dzong- with their own ideas to keep Harry Potter 12:20pm of Phuentsholing to a safer khags with similar situations boarding students engaged She’s Out Of My League 11:20pm area to continue education. It would also be relocated accord- meaningfully.” is proposed given Phuentshol- ing to the proposal. Many principals of board- ing remains a red zone. The ministry has also pro- ing schools Kuensel talked to Dumbo 5:40pm The proposal also includes posed the government to re- said that students are either re-opening of Classes IX and look into re-opening of ECCDs, asked to complete the project Guardians Of The Galaxy 9:30pm XI and relocating students of Non-Formal Education, Com- works or assignments, read Percy Jackson 11:40pm these classes.