Puducherry, Jan 18 (IANS): With the hike in the number of Covid-19 cases, the Puducherry education department has declared closure of physical classes in all schools and colleges of the territory till January 31.

It may be noted that Puducherry reported 2,093 fresh Covid cases and 3 deaths on Tuesday with the Test Positivity Rate (TPR) touching 34.72 per cent.

Puducherry Education Minister, A. Namassivayam said that the schools in the Union territory for students from Classes 1 to 9 were already closed but as the vaccination drive for school students in the age group of 15-18 was on, Classes from 10 to 12 were open.

However, the education department has decided to shut down all physical classes in the Union Territory following a higher number of Covid-19 cases in the territory.

The education minister in a video message on Tuesday said that around 60 to 65 per cent of children in the age group of 15-18 have been administered vaccination in the territory to date. He said that 20 per cent of the parents did not grant permission to inoculate their children.

A. Namassivayam said that once the schools are reopened the remaining 15 per cent of those students whose parents had given approval for vaccination will be inoculated.

The Puducherry education minister, however, said that online classes would continue in all the schools and called upon the students to adhere to Covid appropriate behaviour and to attend online classes and not to lose classes.