Guwahati: Amid strict COVID guidelines issued by the State government, schools in Assam re-opened today but for students of classes 9 to 12 only.
With the education institutions re-opening after six long months, many educators felt the move might bring much-needed relief to the students as well as the teachers stuck at home but the scenario looks completely different in most of the institutions in Guwahati city.
At the Ulubari High School, hardly 10 students from class 12 came to attend their classes after the lockdown and had a 45-minute class. ''For class 9 only a few students came to the school but were not allowed to enter as they failed to submit the No Objection Certificate (NOC) signed from their parents, one of the most important instructions from the government'' said Aroopa Patgiri, Principal, Ulubari High School.
In TC Government Girls' School, a few of the teachers were there to take classes, but no students turned up.
However, all the schools and colleges have maintained social distancing norms and other precautionary measures against the viral outbreak. Hand sanitizers have been placed at counters and wearing of masks have been made mandatory.
For the first 15 days starting today, students of classes 9 to 12 are allowed to attend their respective schools. 20 students from each class are allowed to attend in two batches- the first shift starts from 9 am to 12 noon and the second shift is from 1 pm to 4 pm. Only 50 % of the teachers were allowed to take classes as per the SOP issued on Wednesday.
Classes for IX and XII students would be held on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, while for students of X and XI classes would be held on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
While all government schools will start functioning, private school authorities have been asked to take a call on their own.