This academic year, no online sessions till Class 2 for students in Maharashtra

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in a meeting with state education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Monday, approved the standard operating procedures (SOP) submitted

Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, in a meeting with state education minister Varsha Gaikwad on Monday, approved the standard operating procedures (SOP) submitted by the education department on June 12 to reopen schools and regulate online learning.

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As per the SOPs, the new academic year for students across the state will commence from June 15 and schools begin online learning for the first few months. Both private and government-aided schools will not be allowed to conduct online classes for students up to Class 2. These students can be asked to listen to radio programmes and TV content on education once the state government rolls it out. Students of Class 3-5 can only be asked to sit for up to an hour a day, Class 6-8 can be asked to attend up to two hours a day and Class 9-12 can be held for a maximum of three hours a day. Schools will also have to ensure that students are given enough breaks between two classes.

“We understand that parents might be under stress due to the current situation and the resulting uncertainty. We have released these SOPs to bring more clarity about what the government is going to do to ensure that students do not miss out on learning even in places where schools cannot be reopened soon,” said Gaikwad at an event held by the Maharashtra State Council of Educational Research and Training (MSCERT) on Monday afternoon.

The department plans to initiate phase-wise reopening of schools in areas where there has not been a single Covid-19 case for at least a month from July. Schools can first start sessions for Classes 9, 10 and 12 in July, followed by Classes 6 to 8 from August and Classes 3 to 5 from September. For Classes 1 and 2, a decision on reopening schools can be taken by the school management committee in consultation with the local administration. First-year junior colleges will start after the admission process is complete, after Class 10 results are declared. Decisions with respect to physically reopening schools in containment zones will be taken by the local administration.

From June 15 to June 29, schools have been asked to conduct online meetings with school management committees, coordinate with local managements, create awareness among parents, contact vulnerable children who are at a risk of dropping out, brief parents about online learning and stay in touch with students on a day-to-day basis. For schools in the Vidarbha region, this process would begin from June 26, as schools usually reopen there two weeks later.

On Monday, several schools started their online classes for students. “It was a good experience and everyone is learning to adapt to technology,” said Uday Nare, teacher and Hansraj Morarji Public School in Andheri.

WHAT THE SOPS SAY

*Role of school management committees

Consider options such as shiftwise running of schools, staggering school timings , changing seating arrangement in classrooms , disinfecting schools, not allowing crowding in buses

Ensure timely delivery of textbooks to students’ homes

Create awareness about precautions amongst parents and children

Ensure parent and student preparedness with respect to online learning

*Role of gram panchayat/civic body

Sanitise schools and make sure electricity and water supply is not affected

Screen teachers coming from other parts of the city/district/ taluka before they enter the school. Children also need to be screened before entering

Make provisions for teachers in case the existing teachers are engaged in Covid-related duties

Test free Wifi facility on a pilot basis for students

Distribute content-loaded tabs to students on a pilot basis

Test e-content delivery on private networks such as Tata Sky, JIO

*Role of teachers

Return back to their place of duty in case they have gone out

Abide by home quarantine rules in case they are engaged in Covid work

Help students familiarise themselves with Diksha app, TV, radio and online learning

Address queries of students and stay in touch with them