The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday announced reopening of schools from October 19. The schools of all boards and situated outside containment zones will reopen after remaining shut for over six months in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. Classes will be held in shifts and all necessary protocols including social distancing and proper sanitisation of premises will have to be followed by schools, the state government announced. “In the first phase, Classes 9 to 12 may start in these schools. The schools must run in two shifts of smaller durations, to ensure student safety,” deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said. In the first shift, students of Classes 9 and 10 may come to school, while in the second shift, students of Classes 11 and 12 may attend classes, he said.
A maximum of 50 per cent students should be called in a day and remaining 50 per cent the following day. Students will only be allowed to attend classes after furnishing written permission from their parents or guardians, the government said. Additional chief secretary, Secondary Education, Aradhana Shukla, has issued an order in this connection and a standard operating procedure (SOP) on health, sanitation and necessary protocols has already been issued for the reopening of schools, a statement from the state government said. The order is available on the website of the department, it said.
Before reopening, schools will have to undertake proper sanitisation and this exercise is mandatory before every shift on a regular basis, the government statement said. In case of symptoms of cold or fever in any student, teacher or other employees, they will be sent home after primary treatment, it added. All teachers, students and workers should compulsorily use masks and the school management should keep reserve masks, said the statement. Directives have also been issued to continue online teaching and encouraging it. Priority should be given to calling those students to school who do not have access to online teaching, Sharma said.