The Education Ministry has issued revised guidelines for reopening schools but allowed states with negligible COVID cases to take a final call based on their overall Covid situation. The guidelines have been prepared after consultation with the states. The final decision on taking classes online or offline rests with the state governments.
The school staff along with students and teachers have to abide by the COVID guidelines and wear a mask as a precautionary measure.
According to Dr V.K. Paul, noted public health exponent and member, NITI Aayog, the number of new cases of Covid-19 has been steadily declining and the situation is improving day by day. In 268 districts of the country, the COVID positive rate is less than five per cent. Schools in such districts can be opened and it is up to the state government to decide.
On the other hand, the education ministry said in a statement that schools have been completely opened offline in 11 states, while higher secondary schools have been opened partially in 16 states. In nine states, schools are still shut. The central government has announced a new guideline and a coded protocol that schools are required to follow when they open.
An estimated 95% of school staff in each state have been vaccinated, according to officials. In some states, 100 per cent of school staff have been vaccinated. The central government has advised the States and Union Territories to ensure that they run schools safely by adhering to the Covid SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and guidelines. According to the guidelines issued by the central government for the reopening of schools, the decision on reopening of schools will have to be taken by the states after assessing the situation at the local level. Provision has also been made to allow attendance if children do not want to go to school.
The centre has said in the guidelines that if there is enough space in the school, the children will be allowed to engage in sports, music and other extracurricular activities. School hours may also be reduced. Schools have been instructed to create a calendar for the entire year and focus on educational activities in this calendar. It will also be mandatory to keep six feet distance between two students in the class. This distance must be maintained even during the mid-day meal. Hostels can reopen. All school transport must be sanitized. Staff living in containment zones will not be allowed to come to school.
