Schools in India to reopen zone-wise in July with 30 percent attendance

According to recent reports, schools in India will reopen zone-wise in July with schools in the Orange and Green zones to reopen first. The schools will reopen for older students with only 30 percent attendance to ensure social distancing. The primary and middle school students (classes 1 to 7) will have to wait until schools start functioning in full swing. However, they will continue their studies from home.

The morning assemblies have been suspended. Teachers will be trained to follow and help others follow the guidelines.

In a live interaction with teachers on Twitter earlier this month, Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had hinted at reopening of schools. While answering a query, he had suggested that schools might reopen with just 30 percent attendance to ensure social distancing. “The lives of teachers and students are more important right now. If only 30 percent of students are able to come to schools to ensure social distancing, we need to see what steps need to be taken to bring in a proper system when schools reopen,” he had said.

During the interaction, Nishank had also said that UGC and NCERT was deciding on safety guidelines for reopening educational institutions. Thus, the guidelines would be different for schools, colleges and universities. The safety guidelines state that the teachers will need to wear masks and gloves; thermal scanners will be installed in schools; only two students will be allowed to sit on three-seaters; and CCTVs will be used to monitor if social distancing rules are being followed or not. The guidelines will also be printed and put up at several locations in each school.

States plan to reopen schools

Few states in India are taking measures to reopen schools, in adherence with the safety guidelines. As examinations have been either cancelled or postponed, schools feel an urgent need for children to go back to a routine as a prolonged lockdown can be detrimental for them. However, social distancing would be followed as safety of staff and children are of utmost importance.

The number of centres to conduct CBSE board examinations has also been increased to ensure social distancing. The Board has also decided not to allot examination centres in containment zones. State boards are also following the same measures. The Kerala board SSC and SSLC examinations are set to commence from May 26. The state government has listed important safety guidelines for the same.

Source: India Today