The government of Uttar Pradesh announced on Saturday the reopening of schools from October 19. Schools across all boards and located outside of the containment zones will reopen after being closed for more than six months in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Classes will be held in shifts and schools will need to follow all necessary protocols, including social distancing and proper facility sanitation, the state government announced.
“In the first phase, classes 9 to 12 can start in these schools. Schools must operate in two shorter shifts, to ensure the safety of students, ”said Deputy Prime Minister Dinesh Sharma.
On the first shift, students from classes 9 and 10 can come to school, while on the second shift, students from classes 11 and 12 can attend classes, he said. A maximum of 50 percent of students should be called on one day and the remaining 50 percent the next day.
Students will only be able to attend classes after providing written permission from their parents or guardians, the government said.
The Additional Chief Secretary, Secondary Education, Aradhana Shukla, issued an order in this regard and a standard operating procedure (SOP) on health, sanitation and protocols necessary for the reopening of schools has already been issued, a state government statement said.
The order is available on the department’s website, he said.
Before reopening, schools will have to perform proper sanitation and this exercise is mandatory before each shift on a regular basis, according to the government statement.
In case of cold or fever symptoms in a student, teacher or other employees, they will be sent home after the primary treatment, he added.
All teachers, students and workers are required to wear masks and the school administration must keep reserve masks, the statement said.
Directives have also been issued to continue and encourage online teaching. Priority should be given to calling the school for those students who do not have access to online instruction, Sharma said.
Uttar Pradesh has reported 4.33,712 cases of Covid-19 so far. A total of 6,353 people have succumbed to the disease in the state, according to the PTI news agency.
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