Schools reopening partially from today: Check guidelines

New Delhi, Sep 21: After almost six-months, schools in the country would start partially opening on Monday. In the Unlock 4 guidelines, the union home ministry had permitted schools to reopen from September 21 but left the final call to the states.

• Seating arrangement has to be made to ensure a distance of 6 feet between chairs, desks etc and the teaching faculty will ensure that they themselves and students wear masks throughout the conduct of the teaching/guidance activities.
• Sharing of items like notebook, pens/pencil, eraser, water bottle etc. amongst students should not be allowed. Cafeteria/mess facility, if any within the premises, shall remain closed.
• Specific markings on the floor with a gap of 6 feet may be made.
• Similarly, physical distancing shall also be maintained in staff rooms, office areas including reception area, and other places such as mess, libraries, cafeterias, etc.
• Weather permitting, outdoor spaces may be utilised for conducting teacher-student interactions.
• The concerned teaching and non-teaching employees (up to 50 per cent of the strength) may be called to schools for online teaching/tele-counselling and related work.
• Installation and use of the Aarogya Setu App may be advised wherever feasible.
• Appropriate back-up stock of personal protection items like face covers/masks, visors, hand sanitisers, etc shall be made available by management to the teachers and employees.
• Provide an adequate supply of thermal guns, alcohol wipes or 1 per cent 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.
• The guidelines also call for ensuring regular counselling for students and teachers reporting mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
• It is advisable that teachers, school counsellors and school health workers should work in unison to ensure emotional safety of the students.
• Entrance should have mandatory hand hygiene (sanitiser dispenser) and thermal screening provisions.
• For conduct of skill-based training in workshops/laboratories, a floor area of 4 square metre per person should be made available for working on equipment or work stations.
• Cleaning and regular disinfection (using 1 pc sodium hypochlorite) of frequently touched surfaces (door knobs, elevator buttons, hand rails, chairs, benches, washroom fixtures, etc.) to be made mandatory in all class rooms, laboratories, lockers, parking areas, other common areas etc. before beginning of classes and at the end of the day, the guidelines stated.
• All employees who are at higher risk i.e. older employees, pregnant employees and employees who have underlying medical conditions to take extra precautions.
• They should preferably not be exposed to any front-line work requiring direct contact with the students.
• Proper physical distancing, sanitisation of buses/other transport vehicles (with 1% sodium hypochlorite) shall be ensured.
• Prior to resumption of activities, all work areas intended for teaching/demonstrations etc., including laboratories, other common utility areas shall be sanitised with 1% sodium hypochlorite solution, with particular attention to frequently touched surfaces.
• Schools that were used as quarantine centres will be properly sanitised and deep cleaned before partial functioning is resumed.
• In case a student/teacher/employee develops symptoms, the ill person should be in a room or area where they are isolated from others and the nearest medical facility (hospital/clinic) should be informed.