REOPENING OF SCHOOLS; COVID-safety protocols must be followed: CM Sarbananda Sonowal

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, on Tuesday, asked the Education department to provide smart phones to students of economically disadvantaged sections for attending online classes even as he gave a slew of instructions to reopen schools for students studying in the higher classes from November 2.

Sonowal held a meeting with the officials of various departments including Education, and Health at the Janata Bhawan here on reopening of schools, which have been closed for more than seven months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the meeting, the Chief Minister was apprised about the SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) prepared by the Higher Education department through a presentation given by the Principal Secretary of the department B. Kalyan Chakravarti.

During the meeting, Sonowal directed the Education department to take utmost care to strictly observe the COVID-19 protocols while reopening the schools and stressed the need to start the classes early in the morning, maintain proper gaps between the classroom timings of two groups of students, keep the toilets clean and sanitised among others. He also issued instruction to the department to extensively use audio-visual tools, storytelling and such attractive methods in the first month to get the students back to the mould of formal education.

He suggested inviting COVID warriors, plasma donors among others to be felicitated in the school premises so that the students could be inspired to work for the society.

Among many negatives, the pandemic has brought some positives as well and making the people aware about the importance of cleanliness and hygiene was one of them; and the Education department must take this opportunity to spread the message of cleanliness in the society through the students, said Sonowal.

The Chief Minister also instructed the department to provide iron and folic acid tablets to students for boosting their immunity along with giving yoga classes and holding regular health screenings for the students. He also asked the Health department officials to take steps for tying-up of one health centre with one school while also shifting the COVID Care Centres from the schools at the earliest.

According to the SOP prepared by the Eeducation department, formal classes will start from November 2 for the students of Class –VI and above. While students of standards VI, VII, IX and XII will have classroom teachings on Monday, Wednesday and Friday every week, those studying in standards VIII, X and XI will have classes on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Likewise, the students of first, third and fifth semester degree courses will have classes for two, three and four days respectively every week. Classes will start in two phases; and each phase can have the maximum number of 25 students. All DCs (Deputy Commissioners) have been asked to stay prepared for any emergency COVID-related situation. The Chief Minister also directed the Education department to keep task forces, emergency service teams, toll free numbers etc. ready for facing all eventualities.

Sonowal also directed that a meeting of VCs be convened to prepare the guidelines for starting the classes in all universities soon.