Schools, barring those in Nipah-hit districts, re-open in Ker

All Kerala schools, except those in the districts from where 16 Nipah deaths have been reported, re-opened today after a two-month-long summer vacation.

Owing to the Nipah virus scare, schools in the northern districts of Kozhikode and Malappuram would re-open only on June 5.

Schools and classrooms were decorated with colourful banners, ribbons and balloons as teachers welcomed children with paper crowns, sweets and flowers as part of the 'Enrolment Festival' held in various schools to welcome the children, reports received here said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was the chief guest at a school in nearby Nedumangad.

In his advice, he told the students not to become book worms and instead play and grow up to be citizens with social commitment.

Education minister C Ravindranath rendered a song to welcome the children at the school.

The enrolment of children in first standard this year was estimated to be nearly two lakh, he said.

The state government would distribute free handloom uniforms to about 4.5 lakh students from classes I to VII enrolled in 3,701 schools.