The educational institutions in Assam reopened on Monday after more than seven months, while the other northeastern states are yet to decide on the resumption of classes in schools on a regular basis, officials said. Tripura Education Department Director Uttam Kumar Chakma told Express that 50 per cent teachers and staff are coming to the schools across the state since October 15 and the students of Class IX to XII are allowed to come to the schools for counselling by the teachers with the permission of their parents.
Assam government's Education Department officials said that classes for students from Class VI to XII have been resumed in small batches following all Covid-19 protocols and the standard operating procedures (SOPs) issued by the department on October 30. The students, teachers and staff are screened at the entry point of each school.
"Attendance of students is not mandatory and it is purely based on parental consent. The hostels of all educational institutions would remain closed till further orders of the government," a senior official said. The officials said the students of Class VI, VIII and XII would attend teaching on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and the rest three days are reserved for Class VII, IX and XI. Schools for the students of Class V and below would remain closed until further orders.
"All the students would not come into the schools at a time and they will attend the schools in different batches in morning and afternoon shift. Fixation of the first batch and second batch of students would be done by the head of the institution. The first batch of the students would come at 8 a.m. and stay up to 12 noon and the second batch will come at 12.30 p.m. and stay up to 3.30 p.m.," an official said.
The school authorities have been asked to follow social distancing and other precautionary measures. The SOPs also include a staggered timetable for general colleges, engineering colleges, polytechnic institutions and IITs and the final decision will be taken by the college authorities. However, online mode of education would continue for students who prefer to attend online classes rather than physically attend the schools. All educational institutions have to be sanitised every weekend, preferably on every Sunday.
The teaching and non-teaching staff of all the educational institutions and cooks and helpers engaged in preparation and serving of mid-day meal should be medically tested for Covid-19 after 30 days. Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has already issued instructions for extensively using audio-visual tools and other attractive methods of teaching in the first month. Apart from classroom teachings, online classes will also continue.
