Govt schools set to resume classes 9 to 12

Physical classroom sessions for students of classes 9 to 12 of government schools will resume from October 15, with certain riders, state education minister Kanwar

Physical classroom sessions for students of classes 9 to 12 of government schools will resume from October 15, with certain riders, state education minister Kanwar Pal said on Tuesday.

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Regular classes will be conducted for three hours, from 9am to noon. Attendance, however, will not be compulsory as students can voluntarily continue with online classes, which will continue alongside regular classes. Pal said that same rules would apply to private schools if they decide to reopen their premises.

According to the plan, separate schedules will be created for classroom and web sessions, as per teacher availability, between 9am and noon.

Although an official notification is yet to be issued, Pal said the decision has been taken in compliance with the Unlock 5 guidelines issued by the Union ministry of home affairs. “Even though regular classes will resume for a few hours, students who cannot attend classes physically will not be marked absent. Online classes will continue the same way and students can attend that as well,” he said.

To ensure that the safety of the students is not compromised, Pal said a maximum of 20 students will be accommodated in a classroom. “If, for a particular class, the number of students is more, the class will be divided into two sections and accordingly schools will make their own arrangements and time tables based on the number of students and the availability of classrooms,” Pal said.

Pal said that they are targeting an attendance of around 50% of students and that a consent letter from parents or guardians is not necessary for the same as per fresh guidelines.

The Unlock 4 guidelines had made a consent letter mandatory, which has been done away with under the new rules.

“From October 15, consent letter is not required since classes will be held regularly. It is expected that attendance in schools will increase as compared to the guidance classes. We will see how schools function after they reopen. If the process remains smooth, then by November, regular classes will start for students of classes 6 to 8,” he said.

Principals are of the opinion that it will take up to 15 days after reopening to achieve 40-50% attendance.

Sunil Kumar, principal of Senior Secondary Government School, Jacobpura, said, “Children will take some time to get back. If no Covid-19 cases are reported among teachers or students in the school, it is likely attendance will reach to at least 40% in 15 days and almost 90% in a month.”

To ensure smooth functioning of the schools, Kumar said that arrangements are being made to ensure social distancing within classrooms. “A distance of two feet is being maintained between two benches. A single classroom will accommodate a minimum of 12 and maximum of 20 students, based on the size of the room. Besides, temperatures will be checked at the entry and students will have to apply sanitisers and wear masks to avoid contracting any infection,” said Kumar.

Similar arrangements are being made at the Government Model Senior Secondary School in Sector 4/7, according to Suman Sharma, the principal of the school. “There will be separate entry and exit points for students to enter the school premises. To avoid crowding at the time of entrance, circles have been made for students to stand until they can enter. Posters have also been prepared to advise students about not sharing their belongings and maintaining social distance.”

Mahavir Singh, additional chief secretary, school education, said that schools will have to follow guidelines similar to those issued for guidance sessions. Schools falling under defined containment zones will remain closed. Only asymptomatic teachers or students will be allowed to enter, based on the thermal screening at the entrance. Activities such as assemblies, sports and events, which lead to crowding will not be allowed.

Suman kadiyan , mother of a class 12 student, favours sending her daughter to school. She said, “Personal interaction in regular classes makes a child attentive. There can be doubts related to the subject which need to be addressed on a regular basis. It is only possible only through regular classes.”