Japanese PM announces state of emergency for Tokyo with Olympics opening in just two weeks
Tokyo, Jul 8: IOC President Thomas Bach arrived in Tokyo on Thursday just as a ban on spectators at the Tokyo Olympics is likely after Japan Prime Minister Yoshihde Suga announced a state of emergency because of rising coronavirus infections in the capital.
Suga said the state of emergency would go in effect on Monday and last through Aug. 22. This means the Olympics, opening on July 23 and running through Aug. 8, will be held entirely under emergency measures.
Suga said the state of emergency was needed to prevent the resurgence of the future spread on cases across the country.
Bach largely avoided cameras at Tokyo's Haneda Airport and, on a rainy afternoon, went to the International Olympic Committee's games headquarters in Tokyo, a five-star hotel in the center of the city. He is reported to need to self-isolate for three days.
Bach's arrival comes just two weeks before the postponed Tokyo Games are to open. The IOC and local organizers are attempting to hold the games during a pandemic despite opposition from the Japanese public and medical community.
The main focus of the emergency is a request for bars, restaurants and karaoke parlors serving alcohol to close. A ban on serving alcohol is a key step to tone down Olympic-related festivities and keep people from drinking and partying. Tokyo residents are expected to face stay-home requests and watch the games on TV from home.
How to stop people enjoying the Olympics from going out for drinks is a main issue, Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said.
The present state of emergency ends Sunday. Tokyo reported 920 new cases on Wednesday, up from 714 a week earlier. It was the 18th straight day of week-on-week increases, and was the highest total since 1,010 were reported on May 13.
Fans from abroad were months ago banned from attending the Olympics. But just two weeks ago, organizers and the IOC decided to allow venues to be filled to 50 per cent of capacity but crowds not to exceed 10,000. The state-of-emergency will force them to change plans again with a decision probably coming later on Thursday.
The soaring cases are likely to mean that venues will be without any spectators, although sponsors and others may have access. The no-fan atmosphere could include the opening ceremony at the USD 1.4 billion National Stadium.
The uptick in infections has also forced the Tokyo city government to pull the Olympic torch relay off capital streets, allowing it to run only on remote islands off the Tokyo coast. It's unclear how the torch will enter the stadium for the opening ceremony.
The infections are in their expansion phase and everyone in this country must firmly understand the seriousness of it, Dr. Shigeru Omi, a top government medical adviser, said.
He urged authorities to quickly take tough measures ahead of the Olympics, with summer vacations approaching.
Omi has repeatedly called for a ban on spectators, and has said it's abnormal to hold the Olympics during a pandemic.
Separately, a government COVID-19 advisory panel met Wednesday and expressed concerns about the ongoing resurgence of the infections.
Two-thirds of the infections in the capital region are from Tokyo, and our concern is the spread of the infections to neighboring areas, said Ryuji Wakita, director-general of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
The Olympics are pushing ahead against most medical advice, partially because the postponement stalled the IOC's income flow. It gets almost 75% of its income from selling broadcast rights, and estimates suggest it would lose 3 billion to 4 billion if the Olympics were canceled.
About 11,000 Olympians and 4,400 Paralympians are expected to enter Japan, with tens of thousands of officials, judges, administrators, sponsors, broadcasters, and media also entering. The IOC says more than 80% of resident of the Olympic Village will be vaccinated.
Nationwide, Japan has had about 810,000 cases and nearly 14,900 deaths. Only 15 per cent of Japanese are fully vaccinated, still low compared with 47.4% in the United States and almost 50 per cent in Britain.
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Punjab govt to roll out play-based learning kit 'Khed Pitara' for primary school students
Chandigarh (PTI): The Punjab government is set to introduce 'Khed Pitara', a play-based learning kit, across public primary schools to ensure joyful and meaningful learning for students, an official statement said on Saturday.
"Far more than a classroom intervention, this initiative represents a long-term investment in Punjab's human capital. By focusing on children between the ages of 3 and 8, the Bhagwant Singh Mann government is strengthening the very foundation of learning at a stage that determines future academic success, confidence and cognitive development," it said.
Punjab's Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, "'Khed Pitara' will ensure that children do not experience schooling as pressure, but as discovery, creativity and confidence-building, and that this initiative reflects the government's commitment to building strong academic foundations that will yield results for decades to come."
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The state government is investing around Rs 9.3 crore in this initiative, and will benefit approximately 7.5 lakh children studying in the foundational stage across Punjab, the statement said.
This initiative reflects the government's commitment to transforming classrooms in the foundational stage from nursery to Class 2 into engaging, child-centred, play-based learning environments that promote learning through play, exploration and hands-on activities, it said.
It is a first-of-its-kind initiative being implemented by the Punjab government at this scale, it added.
All printed materials are being provided in Punjabi to ensure better comprehension and meaningful learning for young children across Punjab, it said.
'Khed Pitara' is a comprehensive play-based learning-teaching material kit designed for children aged 3 to 8 years, covering nursery to Class 2, it said.
The kit promotes experiential, activity-based and joyful learning by enabling children to learn through play, exploration and interaction rather than memorisation.
By shifting the focus from rote learning to activity-based engagement, the government is nurturing curiosity, creativity and confidence in young learners from the very beginning of their educational journey, laying a foundation that will shape Punjab's future workforce and leadership, the statement read.
Through this initiative, classrooms will become more interactive, inclusive and child-friendly by enabling learning through play and exploration, it said.
The kit is designed to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, improve language and communication skills, foster creativity and imagination, develop problem-solving abilities, support social and emotional growth and reduce stress and fear associated with early schooling, it added.
Instead of passive learning, children will participate in storytelling, games, hands-on activities and collaborative tasks that make learning natural and enjoyable.
"By investing at this foundational stage, the Mann government is ensuring that learning gaps are addressed early, reducing long-term disparities and building a confident generation prepared for higher education and emerging opportunities," the statement said.
The kits, which will be distributed to around 12,856 government primary schools by April 1, include age-appropriate learning materials for early grades such as toys and manipulatives, puzzles and games, story cards and flash cards, posters and activity books, puppets and play materials, along with teacher resource materials.
Each component supports key developmental areas, including language, numeracy, creativity and social learning, ensuring holistic development of children across Punjab.
Teachers handling foundational stage classes will also receive structured support through activity-based teaching materials to strengthen classroom implementation, the statement said.
Procurement has been completed promptly, distribution is in the final stage and work orders are being issued for supply to schools, it said.
Meanwhile, Bains said the state government believes the real transformation of education begins at the foundational stage.
"By investing in children between 3 and 8 years of age, the Mann government is making a strategic, long-term investment in Punjab's future, he said.
