New Delhi: The Ministry of Education on Monday issued guidelines to reopen schools in a systematic way from 15 October. Giving information about this, Union Cabinet Education Minister Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank tweeted that states and union territories have to prepare their own standard operating procedure for health. According to the latest guideline, students can opt for online classes instead of physically present school, and caution should be taken to prepare and serve mid-day meals in schools. The Education Minister further stated that the students would physically attend the school only with the consent of their parents. Those who do not wish to attend school can continue to take online classes. On the other hand, schools must ensure flexibility in attendance.
Amid preparations to open schools and coaching institutes from October 15 onwards, the Ministry of Education has released detailed guidelines on safety and educational activities on Monday. Under this, schools will not force a child to attend classes. Nor will there be any pressure on them to attend. Not only this, there will also be no assessment of the children for two to three weeks after the school opens. Only after written permission of parents, children will be allowed to come to school. Students will be free to choose one of the options in the class room or online. The final decision to open the school has been left to the states.
Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has issued guidelines under stringent safety standards to reopen schools and coaching institutes that have been closed since March amid the Corona transition. At the same time, states and schools have also been allowed to make it more effective at their level. Schools will not only have to keep the classrooms clean but also keep the library, laboratory, canteen, drinking water tanks and toilets clean. Schools have been suggested to constitute response teams such as Emergency Response Team, General Support Team, Hygenic Inspection Team etc.
This is a plan for schools
The schools have also been asked to prepare the entire plan of transportation, according to the set standards of the student’s seating plan, so that the distance between one student and the other student remains six feet. The safety standards to be adopted during school opening are also mentioned in the guideline. Under this, the entire school campus, including classrooms, will have to be sanitized well after finishing their studies every day. Masks will be required for every student, teacher and other staff coming to school. Students will also have to bring sanitizers with masks. Schools have been asked to avoid organizing such events in which students gather at one place. Along with this, the health of students will also be monitored. Schools have also been asked to conduct health tests of all students at a fixed time interval.
Advice to adopt these measures
- Children should be provided with warm mid-day meals only. If this is not possible, then they should be provided funds instead.
- Nurses, doctors or a trained health worker should be posted in schools, who can take care of children’s health regularly.
Follow NCERT’s alternate calendar school. During the assessment, insist on adopting the format of learning based assessment instead of pen-paper test.
- Children should be made aware of physical distance including hand washing.
SOP to reopen school
- Schools must arrange and implement proper cleaning and disinfection procedures of the campus.
- Grounds, classrooms, furniture, storage space, water tank, washroom, everywhere in the school campus will be thoroughly disinfected.
- Indoor areas should have proper airflow.
- Schools are advised to formwork teams such as emergency care and support, hygiene inspection, commodity support among others.
- Entry and exit time will have to be planned for all school-going people and social disturbances have to be maintained. Therefore, schools will have to come up with a new seating arrangement that is compatible with social distance guidelines.
- During all activities in schools, all staff members, workers, and students must wear a face cover/mask at all times.
- The academic calendar will be planned including all classes, breaks, and exams.
- It is the duty of the school to collect information about the current health status of the students.
- Schools should have all contact information of nearby emergency centers, and healthcare centers.
- If in case, anyone showing symptoms for COVID-19 infection, then the detention and isolation protocol should be followed by the government as directed.
- All precautions must be taken while preparing and serving mid-day meals in schools. The government suggested that the food should be cooked hot and properly.
- In the context of the learning and teaching process, the government has notified that there will be no evaluation for 2-3 weeks after the reopening of the school.
- The center has encouraged the use of ICT and online learning. In addition, teachers should inform students about the full curriculum and how classes will be conducted.
- Apart from this, schools have also been asked to ensure teaching in online to offline mode smoothly.
- Teachers are expected to educate students about the epidemic and ensure their emotional well-being.
