Kolkata: The Ministry of Public School Education has compiled a detailed set of guidelines for reopening educational institutions from 16 November – announced on Monday by the Chairman of the Minister of Mamata Banerjee – and forwarded it to the State Secretariat to be reviewed and approved.
The details of the guidelines have not come out.
The main minister is expected to announce the standard operating procedure (SOP) immediately reopened.
Private schools in the state – affiliated with the Board for the Indian School Certificate Exam and Secondary Education Center – are waiting for SOP before announcing the reopening date to students and guardians.
In February, before allowing physical classes for secondary school students, the school education department has published 28 pages of detailed guidelines to reopen and do classes.
The soup, said the source, is useful while preparing new guidelines.
Sources say that some distance steps are advised to minimize the spread of Covid: Only two students who will be allowed to sit on a bench where, before, three or four are used to sit down; Time staggered for arrival and departure to avoid crowding at the gate; and arrange isolation rooms on campus.
Regular sanitication and wearing a mask by everyone on campus will also be absolute, the source said.
Temperature checks will be made at the main entrance.
Initially, teaching would be “hybrid” – class IX students to XII will be asked to come to school, with half a class being asked to come on alternative days, while the remaining half log in from home.
Campus will also be asked to save on handwashes, sanitisers and masks for use by students and teachers.
Authorities will also be asked to censit the guardian to monitor the health of each student, and not send them to school if they run the temperature.