FACT CHECK: Has Assam government announced closure of educational institutions from Nov 20?
A screenshot of an alleged tweet by Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is viral on social media.
By Newsmeter Network Published on 5 Nov 2021 4:12 AM GMT
HYDERABAD: A screenshot of an alleged tweet by Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is viral on social media.
The tweet claims that due to the surge in Covid-19 cases, the government has decided to close schools and colleges from November 20 in the state.
FACT CHECK:
The claim is false. The tweet is fake.
NewsMeter searched for news reports on the closure of educational schools in Assam and found none. In September 2021, Assam State Disaster Management Authority gave a nod for the reopening of higher secondary, graduation, and post-graduation institutions from September 6. Later, the Assam government ordered physical classes to resume for Classes 1 to 8 and Class 11 from October 19. Physical classes of all degree and postgraduate, technical institutions/universities, BEd colleges -- both government and private -- in the state resumed from October 1. (Source: India Today, Times of India)
No changes have been made. No notice on the closure of schools and colleges has been announced yet.
However, it is true that cases in Assam have witnessed a sudden spike. On October 15, the cases stood at 97. On October 16, the cases surged to 319. On October 21, the number of cases stood at 384 and on October 31, 212 people tested positive. The current active cases in the state are 7707. But this has not led to any change in the educational institutes as of now.
NewsMeter noticed that the viral screenshot consisted of numerous grammatical errors such as 'possitve' and 'collage'. This is common when tweets are fake and morphed. NewsMeter searched for the alleged tweet on Himanta Biswa Sarma's account but did not find any.
Later, NewsMeter found that Biswa Sarma had issued a statement on this issue. He called the screenshot fake. Assam crime branch has taken up this case for investigation.
Evidently, it is clear that the screenshot of an alleged tweet by Assam's Chief Minister is fake. No decision to close schools and colleges from November 20 has been taken. Thus, the claim is false.
