With the Covid19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown imposed since March 24, the schools, colleges and a lot of educational institutes across the country have been shut down. However, with six months’ online education already imparted during the lockdown, the students’ studies have still been impacted majorly. With the students being constantly affected because of the lockdown, the Narendra Modi led government after five months has decided to reopen schools in India from September 21 in a ‘graded manner’.

Under the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), students from class 9 to 12 will be allowed to visit schools outside containment zones to take guidance from their teachers voluntarily with parents’ written consent.

“States and Union Territories (UTs) can now permit up to 50 per cent of its teaching and non- teaching staff to be called to the schools and colleges, while at the same time there can online teaching/ tele-counselling related work in areas outside containment zones with effect from 21st September 2020 for which SOP have been issued by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” the Union Home Ministry said.

The SOPs announced by the government include –

• All educational institutes need to maintain seating arrangement ensuring a distance of six feet between chairs, desks and others.
   
• The classroom activities at all the schools and HEIs must be conducted in a staggered manner with separate time slots so as to allow adequate physical distancing and disinfection of classroom premises.
   
• All teaching and non-teaching faculty must ensure that they and students wear masks throughout  the entire knowledge exchange activities.
   
• The academics should be a blend of regular classrooms and online teaching and assessments.
   
• Sharing of items like laptops, notebook, stationery and other equipments  amongst students should not be allowed.

With the effect of Unlock 4.0, the guidelines and SOPs announced by the Home Ministry will help students from Class IX onwards which would be allowed to visit schools but with written consent of their parents/ guardians and the visits and teacher–student interaction must be organized in a staggered manner.