Chandigarh reopens schools as Covid cases decline; check details

Chandigarh, February 10: Amid declining Covid-19 cases, the Directorate of School Education on Thursday issued detailed orders for the reopening of schools. All schools in Chandigarh have been permitted to function in blended/hybrid mode (online and offline) for all classes from February 14. The students will attend the offline classes only with the written consent of the parent. However, students will still have the option to continue with online mode for these classes as well. It is not compulsory for the students to attend the classes offline. Attendance will be voluntary and not to be insisted upon by the school authorities. Also read | Covid-19: Seven-day home quarantine for international arrivals scrapped; check revised guidelines In order to meet the academic requirements, schedule and quality of online and offline classes, all teachers will attend schools regularly. All teaching and non-teaching staff and Students of age group of 18 years and above should be fully vaccinated against Covid-10. Head of the institutions may exempt any teaching/non-teaching staff and students on medical grounds. The school shall make all-out efforts for encouraging students above 15 years of age to vaccinate themselves against Covid-19 . Social distancing and norms of Covid-appropriate behaviour should be adhered. All principals/heads of schools will ensure compliance of Covid-19 SOPS/guidelines issued by the Centre and Chandigarh Administration from time to time. OTHER GUIDELINES Regular and thorough cleaning and sanitisation of the school premises. Adequate availability of key supplies such as thermal scanners, disinfectants, sanitisers, soaps, masks etc. Provision of sanitisation facility at the entry gates. No student, teacher, staff or guest should be allowed to enter the school/institute premises without proper thermal screening. No entry for any student/staff/guest without face mask. Proper ventilation in all classrooms. Students do not assemble or gather near entry/exit gates of the school/institute. Routine guest visits should be discouraged. However, during emergency, parent's visit with proper Covid-appropriate behaviour may be permitted. Teachers to report the head of the school/ institute immediately if any student in their class found with Covid symptoms. All eligible teaching and non-teaching staff as well as support staff of the schools are vaccinated.

Head of school to plan a time-table as per the capacity/occupancy limit of the classrooms/labs following Covid-appropriate behaviour. The schedule of schools may be staggered to avoid crowding at the main entrance/exit gate. The lunch breaks may also be staggered to avoid crowding of students and held preferably in an open area particularly as the students will be removing their masks while having food. District Education Officer will issue separate orders for government schools in this regard. There should be a gap of at least 30 minutes between exit of last group of morning shift and entry of first group of evening shift in double shifted schools. Similarly maintain appropriate gap between batches/shifts for all other academic / co-curricular activities. Students may be guided not to share lunch, books, copies and stationery items etc. Students, teachers and employees living in the containment zone will not be allowed to come to Schools. The head of school/institute should ensure that students attend the school/institute with written consent of their parents. If the child or any of the family members shows Covid symptoms, parents should avoid sending the child to the school. On campus counselling/guidance of students and teachers to be conducted to give emotional/trauma support for their readiness with new normal of stringent physical distancing, face mask guidelines and hygiene guidelines. Teachers are to ensure that they speak to each student and provide counselling, emotional support to them. They shall prepare students for teaching learning activities. Teachers should assess the current academic level of their students and bridge the learning gaps. -PTC News