GOVT RELEASES GUIDELINES AS SCHOOLS PREPARE TO COUNSEL SENIOR STUDENTS

NEW DELHI: Distance learning shall be continued and encouraged, but students in standard 9 through 12 can visit schools, subject to written consent of their parents, according to the guidelines on partial reopening of schools released by the Union health ministry on Tuesday.

Only the schools outside of containment zones will resume and only the students and staff members living outside containment zones will be allowed to attend the schools. Before resuming the activities, all work areas have to be sanitised. Schools that had been used as quarantine centres will have to be deep cleaned.

The schools will be allowed to call only half of their teaching and non-teaching staff for online teaching. All employees at higher risk – the elderly, pregnant women, or those employees with co-morbid conditions should preferably not be exposed to work requiring direct contact with the students.

Seating plans should be made in a manner that social distancing can be ensured, according to the guidelines. Assemblies and sports events that can lead to overcrowding have been strictly prohibited, the guidelines say.

Bharat Arora, general secretary of the action aided committee of private unaided recognised schools -- and umbrella body of over 400 private schools in Delhi-- said that their association has already released its own SoPs for the partial re-opening of schools from September 21. “Our SoPs cover almost all the points mentioned in the one issued by the ministry of health and family welfare on Tuesday...” he said.

The schools have been advised to ensure regular counselling for students and teachers reporting mental health issues such as anxiety and depression