Schools in the country will reopen for the 2021 academic session in over a week. However, many students and teachers are still stranded in Thimphu. To expedite the travel arrangements at the earliest, those stranded students and teachers are asked to call their respective schools or principals instead of calling the hotline helpline 1010. The schools will compile the lists of those stranded to the education ministry. Then the ministry in coordination with the Public Service Call Center 1010 will facilitate the travel arrangements.
According to Kinley Gyeltshen, the Chief of School Planning and Coordination Division with the Education Ministry, the ministry has approached the National COVID-19 Taskforce to help the students and teachers reach their schools in time.
“We will give directives to the districts and thromde education officers upon which they will coordinate with the principals and prepare a list of teachers and students stranded and give it to the ministry. Then the list will be submitted to the 1010 Public Service Call Center. The ministry and the call centre will then work together and facilitate their travels.”
In the last two days, Public Service Call Centre 1010 facilitated the movement of nearly 400 stranded students and teachers from Paro and Punakha.
Sonam Pem