Bhubaneswar: After a gap for more than three months, schools throughout the Odisha reopened on Monday for grade 10 and 12 students with compliance with Covid-19 guidelines.
Physical class for standard 10 and 12 students suspended after the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
Before reopening the school, the classroom and other space had been disanitized while teaching and non-teaching staff had been given with a vaccine dose, an official said.
Even though schools are reopened, it is not mandatory for students to attend the physical class.
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Attending schools will be a decision of their students and guards, the official said.
The government has decided to continue the online class for students who do not attend physical classes for several reasons or others, he said.
Physical classes are held from 10am to 1.30pm, according to standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the School Department and Mass Education.
Every school now has an isolation room for students and staff who show symptoms of Covid-19.
Adequate soap and flowing water are available in all small school rooms.
Hand sanitiser has been maintained for teachers, students, and staff in every classroom.
When wearing a mask is a must for every student and staff, special seating arrangements have been made to maintain social distance in the classroom.
Students will get a fixed seat in each class, according to SOP.
When schools reopened, all teachers, students and staff who enter the campus undergo thermal screening.
Students are advised not to bring food with them.
Odisha School and Mass Education Minister S R Dash said detailed soup had also been issued for dormitory operations and Nodal officers had been sent to each district to ensure that the Covid-19 protocol was being followed.
All government and private schools except those located in the detention zone and the city of Kendrapara reopened Monday.
The schools remained closed in Kendrapara because of the imposition of debt orders until July 30 after the death of a gangster at the police meeting last weekend.
The state government also plans to reopen schools for grades 9 and 11 from August 16 and September 15.
Classes for grade 11 students will be held from September 15 after completing the PLUS II course, the Minister said.
Dash said the decision to reopen the school was taken after a significant increase in Corona situations in the state.