Coronavirus outbreak: Teachers who do not have supervision duty asked to work from home

Late on Monday night, the state education department released a circular asking only teachers and members of the non-teaching staff who are engaged in conducting

Late on Monday night, the state education department released a circular asking only teachers and members of the non-teaching staff who are engaged in conducting the secondary school certificate (SSC) exams to come to schools. District level officials and deputy directors have been asked to communicate the details of the circular to all staff of schools and junior colleges under their jurisdiction.

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No changes have been announced to the ongoing SSC exam schedule in the state. The Science 2 paper will be held today while History and Geography examinations will be held on March 21 and 23.

“Teachers who do not have supervision duty can work from home,” reads the circular, which also clarified that teachers could assess SSC and higher secondary school certificate (HSC) exam papers from home.

However, some schools continued with their internal exams despite the orders to shut down, saying only a few exams were left. A school in Ghatkopar has not cancelled the exams for Class 9. “There are only three papers left and we are making sure that only 15 students are in every classroom. All the students have been given masks,” said the school’s principal.

A teacher working at a school in Powai said, “We have been told to punch in and sit till afternoon and then leave even as there are no students.”

Meanwhile, In view of the ongoing coronavirus threat, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences on Tuesday asked hostel residents to vacate the premises at the earliest, preferably by Wednesday. In a circular, the institute informed students that the institute will reopen for faculty on May 18. Second semester exams for Masters and MPhil students will be held between May 25 and May 30.

The Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, held an emergency meeting of all heads of departments on Tuesday to take stock of the situation on campus.

Apart from shutting all academic activities till March 31, the institute has insisted students and residents of hostels to leave campus.