The Ministry of Education has allowed group activities in music, games, sports and arts as per the standard operating procedures during Covid-19.
Amid the rising number of Covid-19 cases, Centre has issued revised guidelines for health and safety protocols for reopening of schools. As per these guidelines, states will decide whether schools are required to take parents consent for physical classes.
Further it said that districts with less than five per cent of Covid positivity rate can plan to reopen schools. It is up to the state governments to take a call in this regard.
The Ministry of Education has allowed group activities in music, games, sports and arts in accordance with the standard operating procedures issued by states during Covid-19.
As informed by the Ministry of Education, schools are fully open in 11 states and shut in nine. Total 16 states have reopened schools for higher classes.
Speaking in reference to reopening schools, the head of India’s Covid-19 task force – Dr VK Paul said, "School reopening has been a concern. Broad advisories have been issued from time to time...Final decisions lie with states”.
"We'd like to ensure schools are opened as per SOP because we are still in a pandemic. By implementing SOPs, we can ensure safety. Yes, the nation is concerned that there is a learning loss and schools should reopen at the earliest opportune time. We have come a long way now and teachers are vaccinated but we still have to follow SOPs," he further added.
As the government has now permitted inoculating teenagers aged 15 to 18 years, the country is working towards improving its Covid-19 vaccination rate. At least 95 per cent of the teaching and non-teaching staff in all the states have been vaccinated. Only a few states have achieved 100 per cent vaccination coverage for this group.
Speaking about the pandemic in a press conference, Dr Paul said, “The pandemic situation has improved. There are states and districts of concern, but overall there is a contraction in the spread of infection which is heartening. There are 268 districts where the positivity is below 5 per cent. And clearly, these districts can move in the direction of non-Covid care and also in the direction of other economic activities as well as school reopening”.
As per government data, 34 states/UTs in the country are now witnessing a decline in Covid-19 cases and the positivity rate.
While the country recorded 1,72,433 new cases in the last 24 hours, the country has seen a consistent fall in the daily new cases in the last 14 days as per the Health Ministry.
Parents and teachers have been urging the government to resume physical classes as extended screentime is negatively impacting the physical and mental health of school-going children. Those belonging to financially backward families have been severely affected due to lack of resources.
The new guidelines issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, hint at preparing bridge courses and implementing them in classrooms.
Further, the guideline stated, "Once school reopens, the grade-related syllabus should be undertaken only after the bridge course is completed, so that students can adjust to the changed school environment and do not feel the stress of being left out, especially students who did not have access to alternate means of education”.
"In the modified guidelines, the government has also suggested identification of children based on their learning levels so that teachers can focus on students who need additional support," it added.
According to the SOP issued by states, gathering and congregations of students is allowed. The education ministry has mandated specific markings at adequate distances to manage queues and ensure physical distancing in school premises.
Schools have been directed to take all necessary precautions for children with comorbidities. The ministry order states that school's vehicle drivers and conductors staying within the containment zones are not permitted to board the vehicles.
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 "Centre issues new guidelines for reopening schools – Check here")
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