Schools may reopen today with 50% teachers; students on voluntary basis

Jammu: After six months the stage is all set for partial reopening of schools in Jammu region on Monday following the guidelines of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for unlock 4.
Scores of schools in Jammu region are preparing to resume operation from September 21 by assuring social distancing norms and facilities for sanitization. The schools and other educational institutions have been closed since March after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.
Several schools are preparing for reopening despite political parties and groups of parents urging government to roll back its decision of reopening schools as the cases of viral infection are surging in Jammu.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines, the states and Union Territories (UTs) are permitted to call 50 per cent of teaching and non-teaching staff to be called to schools for online teaching and related works from September 21.
“Schools will be open in non-containment areas as per the guidelines of MHA,” Director School Education Anuradha Gupta told The News Now. She further informed that the schools will be reopened with only 50 per cent teachers and students can come with written consent of guardians.
She added that the teachers will assess their academic loss due to pandemic and prepare strategy to complete the syllabus.

“Schools reopening tomorrow not for regular classes but consultation” by volunteer secondary students on consent of parents with 50% teachers on roster as per MHA lockdown 4 guidelines & Min of health & FW protocols conveyed by chief secretary & circulated to Dcs/ Sirectors/ CEOS,” Principal Secy School education Dr Asgar Samoon tweeted.

Raj Kumar Sharma, a teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya No 1 in Jammu said that they are taking all measures to ensure the safety in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We follow the Centre's orders, and according to it after September 21 the students (from Class 9 to 12) can come with their parent's permission for guidance. Classes as before would not be able to run, but as a precautionary measure we have installed touch-free sanitiser, and markers in the open areas for ensuring social distancing is followed at all times," Sharma added .
"Our first priority is to ensure that children stay safe. Even when they are in the class they will have to continue wearing masks. When the children come to interact with the teachers, they will be seated one student apart. The students in Class 10 and 12 will be given preference during this time," he added.
The teacher further said that although the online mode of education has been highly successful, some students, however, feel the need to meet and interact with the teachers face to face in order to resolve their queries.
The Union Health Ministry had on September 8 issued a standard operating procedure (SOP) for a partial reopening of schools for students of classes 9 to 12 for taking guidance from their teachers on a voluntary basis. The SOP follows Unlock 4 guidelines of Home Ministry which came into effect from September 1.
It stated that students of classes 9 to 12 may be permitted to visit their schools, in areas outside the containment zones only, on a voluntary basis, for taking guidance from their teachers and this will be subject to the written consent of their parents or guardians.