School Reopening Guidelines: In line with the Unlock 4.0 Guidelines which allowed partial reopening of schools for students in their higher classes; the Union Health Ministry has now issued SOPs or Guidelines that needs to be followed for the same. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued the guidelines late evening on 8th Sept, which provided the necessary SOPs and norms that are to be followed for the partial reopening of schools from 21st Sept 2020. As notified earlier, the reopening of schools would be applicable to only those students who are Class 9 and above. Even such students would be allowed to visit schools for doubt solving sessions on voluntary basis. Students will need to submit a declaration signed by their parents in order to visit schools during this period.
Official Notification Released
To confirm the development, the Health Ministry has issued a detailed notification that covers two very important aspects related to reopening of schools and allowing students to visit schools amid the pandemic. The notification provides for Generic Preventive Measures and also provide the detailed activities and preventive measures that schools need to put in place before reopening of schools from 21st Sept 2020 onwards. Students and parents can read the detailed notification given below:
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School Reopening Guidelines – Read Detailed Notification Here
General Preventive Measures
According to the detailed guidelines issued by the Health Ministry, the general preventive measures that are to be followed for reopening of schools on voluntary basis are as follows:
Physical Distancing of 6 Ft to be followed by teachers and students, as far as feasible
Face Masks and Face Covers are mandatory while on school premises
Hand Hygiene to be ensured through frequent hand washing with soap or via use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers
Respiratory etiquettes like covering one’s mouth and nose while coughing/sneezing to be followed strictly
Self-Monitoring of health and reporting of illness at the earliest
Installation and Use of Aarogya Setu App advised
Before Opening of Schools
Only Schools outside containment zones allowed to reopen
Students, teachers residing in containment zones not allowed to visit schools
Students, teachers are advised not to visit any area that has been designated as a containment zone
Complete school campus, including all work areas laboratories, other common utility areas shall be sanitized with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution
Schools used as quarantine centres to undergo deep sanitization and cleaning process
50% of teaching and non-teaching staff allowed to visit schools
Class 9 to 12 students allowed to visit schools on voluntary basis
Contactless attendance system to be developed and followed for teachers and students
Markings and arrangement for crowd management outside the premises to be made
Assemblies, sports and events that can lead to overcrowding are strictly prohibited
Swimming Pools present on school premises to remain closed
Schools to maintain back-up stock of personal protection itemslike face covers/masks,
visors, hand sanitizers etc to be made available to teachers and students, as needed
Schools to use and maintain stock of thermal guns, alcohol wipes or 1% sodium
hypochlorite solutions and disposable paper towels, soap, IEC materials on COVID.
Pulse oximeter to check oxygen saturation levels of any symptomatic person must be arranged
Schools to ensure availability of sufficient covered dustbins and trash cans
